Mississippi Newspaper Publisher Sentenced For Sex Crimes Ahead Of Historic Newspapers Shutdown

Lina Portman2 days ago

0 2 minutes read

The publisher of two historic newspapers, which went bankrupt last week, was sentenced to prison just weeks ago for being convicted of sex crimes involving a minor.

Zachary Wes Buckley, the son of the newspaper company's owners, was arrested in November 2023.

What was the publisher convicted for?

In April, Buckley, 49, was convicted in federal court of enticing a 16-year-old Missouri victim to meet him at a hotel for illicit sexual activity. Buckley pleaded guilty to one count of enticing a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity.

Buckley and the child victim began communicating in an online chat room in January 2023, and later moved their conversations to GoogleChat, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The conversations, which included sexually explicit conversations, photos and video cameras, led to plans to meet in person. Buckley traveled to Columbia, Missouri, on Jan. 30, 2023, and met the child victim at a local park. He then went to a Columbia hotel, where he had sexual intercourse with the child, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

Buckley was the publisher of two century-old Mississippi weeklies that closed last week.

Historic Mississippi Newspapers Close

The Jasper County News and Smith County Reformer, owned by Buckley Newspapers Inc., have closed for financial reasons. The company also owned a publication called Impact, which also closed.

The company was also forced to lay off 11 full-time employees.

“I’m taking it day by day,” Kevan Lindsey, former chief executive of Buckley Newspapers, told the Clarion Ledger on Monday. “I got a call from HR saying we weren’t planning on paying salaries. I spoke to our company’s lawyer and he advised us to shut down immediately.”

According to Lindsey, the Smith County newspaper was originally established in 1897, while the Jasper County newspaper dates back to 1891 under several different titles.

Were the conviction and the closure linked?

Contacted Tuesday, Lindsey said via text message that the arrest and conviction had nothing to do with the newspapers' closure.

“He had resigned months before,” Lindsey said. “It wasn’t that issue.”

More details

Buckley Newspapers Inc. was founded in 1967 by Frank Buckley and his son, Ronnie. Frank Buckley, an attorney and college professor, was inducted into the Mississippi Press Association Hall of Fame for his contributions to journalism in Mississippi before his death in 1998. Ronnie Buckley died in December 2022 and his wife, Carolyn Buckley, served as interim president.

New businesses planned for Madison: New businesses announced for the Village of Madison. Check them out

Sold: The Mississippi Business Journal has been sold. Find out who bought it

However, Zachary Wes Buckley had become a publisher because his mother suffered from cancer.

Zachary Wes Buckley was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 16 years in federal prison without parole.

According to records, Buckley pleaded guilty on Nov. 7, 2023, to one count of enticing a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity.

“Buckley admitted that he traveled to Columbia and rented a room at a local hotel, where he engaged in sexual activity with the child victim,” a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley S. Turner. It was investigated by the Boone County Sheriff's Department in Missouri and the Jasper County Sheriff's Department in Mississippi.

Lindsey said that when he came on board in 2020, the newspaper group was already $700,000 in debt.

He also said two of the three publications were profitable in 2022 and 2023, but that was not enough to close the financial gap.

Ross Reily You can reach him by email at [email protected] or at 601-573-2952. You can follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @GreenOkra1.

What was the publisher convicted for?

Historic Mississippi Newspapers Close

Were the conviction and the closure linked?

More details

Lina Portman

Related Articles

The Rhine in southern Germany is still close to navigation after

Dick Van Dyke, 98, reveals his 'secret weapon' for living a long life

NYPD officer accused of shooting driver during New Jersey road rage incident

Disappeared near Brooklyn Mirage, 1 year later: “I didn’t have to die”