Tupelo Man Sentenced to 13 Years in Prison for Sexual Battery of a Minor
Tupelo, Miss. – August 4, 2025 – A Tupelo man has been sentenced to serve 13 years in prison without the possibility of parole after pleading guilty to sexually abusing a minor.
Michael Robert Cox, 38, entered a guilty plea on July 28 to one count of sexual battery of a child while in a position of authority. The victim was between 16 and 18 years old at the time of the offense. Circuit Court Judge John R. White handed down the sentence on Monday, ordering Cox to serve a 25-year prison term with 12 years suspended. Because of the severity of the offense, Cox is required to serve the remaining 13 years day-for-day, with no eligibility for parole or early release.
In addition to the sexual battery charge, Cox also pled guilty to two separate charges related to filming women without their consent in violation of their expectation of privacy. For those offenses, he received an additional 10-year sentence, which was fully suspended.
Upon release from prison, Cox will be required to serve five years of post-release supervision and will be placed on the sex offender registry. He is also barred from having any future contact with the victims in the cases.
The investigation was led by Detective Brittney Williams and Detective Cassidy Jumper of the Tupelo Police Department. Assistant District Attorney Megan French prosecuted the case on behalf of the State of Mississippi.
District Attorney Jason D. Herring expressed appreciation for the work of the investigators and the prosecution team in bringing justice to the victims.
