CLEVELAND, Tenn. (WTVC) — A suspended senior pastor in Cleveland, Tennessee who pleaded guilty to having more than 100 images depicting child sex abuse on his laptop has now learned his fate.

Richard Lee Sentell, who was suspended from the Cornerstone Church of God pending the outcome of his case, pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of a minor.

Authorities arrested Sentell in December 2023.

In announcing the outcome of the case on its Facebook page, the District Attorney General Tenth Judicial District says authorities got a tip of Sentell's activities in the summer of 2023. The tip said

..that a user in Cleveland, Tennessee uploaded two images of child sexual abuse material to a website called BingImage. BingImage is an AI-assisted tool which allows a user to upload an image and locate additional images which are similar to the one uploaded.

Detectives were able to trace the device where those images were uploaded to Sentell's home on Overbrook Circle in Cleveland. A search warrant revealed "a suspicious laptop located wedged between a mattress and a box spring in a downstairs bedroom in the residence."

On that laptop, detectives discovered "124 unique images of child sexual abuse material. The majority of the images depicted prepubescent children being sexually assaulted."

Data on that laptop identified it as belonging to Sentell, and it also showed that Sentell "sought out child sexual abuse material for many months, typically late at night or early in the morning."

After Sentell entered his guilty plea, a judge sentenced him to eight years in state prison without parole.

As reported shortly after his arrest, officials at the Cornerstone Church of God suspended Sentell from his senior pastor duties pending the outcome of the case.

WTVC has reached out to the church to learn Sentell's current employment status, and we'll update this story if and when we hear back.