COFFEE COUNTY, TN - A Coffee County chiropractor admitted to FBI agents that he has been viewing child pornography for the past two decades, according to federal court documents outlining the charges the suspect is facing.
The FBI opened an investigation into Marvin Carson this past January (2026) after the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) received information via two cyber-tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The tips zeroed in on Carson, a Tullahoma resident who operates a chiropractic office in Manchester, TN. The TBI submitted the case to the FBI, who further investigated the tips, leading to an indictment filed this past month in a federal courtroom located in Chattanooga.
Marvin Carson was later apprehended and released under specific rules imposed by the courts, which included electronic monitoring and an order to remain at home other than for work, medical, or religious reasons.
Arrest and Legal Proceedings - The suspect owns and operates Carson Chiropractic in Manchester and pleaded not guilty to charges related to possession of child pornography. Carson was first arrested at his residence in Tullahoma in February by local law enforcement. On Feb. 12, FBI Special Agent Jordan Austin submitted a complaint against Carson in the Tennessee Eastern District Court.
According to federal court documents, Carson waived a formal reading of the indictment in open court and entered not guilty pleas to each count. In federal court, a mandatory pretrial discovery conference must take place within 14 days of the arraignment. Trial is typically scheduled to take place within 70 days of the indictment or arraignment.
Presently, this case is assigned the dates set forth in a separate Discovery and Scheduling Order.
Investigation and Confession - The FBI investigation determined that, between February 2024 and August 2025, Carson made four Cash App transactions of Bitcoin to a wallet associated with child sexual abuse material, according to documents in the federal court. Those transactions led to a search warrant being filed. The Honorable Judge Christopher H. Steger in Hamilton County, Tennessee ordered law enforcement to search Carson’s residence for images of child pornography and to seize any materials or electronic devices containing illegal content.
On Thursday, February 5, 2026, federal and state law enforcement executed the residential search and took possession of multiple devices, including two desktop computers, two laptop computers, an iPhone, and an iPad. As the search got underway, agents with the FBI and TBI interviewed Carson, who confessed to viewing child pornography.
During the interview, Carson reportedly stated, “I can admit that I looked at images [heavy sigh] that were illegal.” Agents wrote that he further added,“I looked at images. I knew they were illegal images,” and “I’ve seen images that I shouldn’t’ve seen.”
As the interview continued, Carson admitted that he had been viewing child pornography for approximately two decades. An affidavit filed in the United States District Court - Eastern District of Tennessee stated, "Carson admitted that he had been viewing child pornography since he was in his early twenties.” Today, Carson is 55 years of age. When asked about the amount of images he had viewed, Carson admitted that in the past year he had seen “hundreds to thousands, that were definitely illegal.” Carson stated that he had most recently viewed child pornography “last week."
Dark Web Access and Content - Carson confirmed his control over the Cash App account used in the reported transactions and that the linked credit union account was his. He explained that he learned how to use Bitcoin and how to navigate the dark web to subscribe to a site he identified as “Tortube.” He admitted the payments went to a subscription service that allowed him access to a large volume of material.
The Coffee County man stated that he preferred girls around the age of sixteen, but videos recovered by agents showed children who were much younger. Specifically, agents observed three videos depicting sexually explicit conduct with a minor. One video showed what appeared to be a three-year-old, while a second showed a two to three-year-old with an adult male. Another video showed what looked like a young teenager with a teddy bear.
Community Impact and School Statements - Prior to his website being shut down, the site suggested he was the “Team Chiropractor” for Motlow University sports teams and the Tullahoma Wildcats Men’s Soccer team, and indicated a partnership with Coffee County Schools.
Following the charges, local school districts moved quickly to distance themselves from Carson. Tullahoma City Schools released a statement via WMSR in Manchester: “Marvin Carson is not an employee of Tullahoma City Schools, and he occasionally volunteered his chiropractic services on the sidelines during the Tullahoma Wildcats Men’s Soccer team’s games, under supervision. He last volunteered in 2024.”
Coffee County Schools also issued a release: “We are aware of reports that charges have been filed against the owner of Carson Chiropractic. We want to be clear that the only chiropractor from Carson Chiropractic who works with our students is an associate—not the owner who is facing charges.”
While the case remains under investigation, federal and state agents continue the digital forensics process—a specialized scientific examination—on Carson’s seized electronic devices.
Following his initial appearance, Carson surrendered his U.S. Passport to the Coffee County Circuit Court Clerk in Manchester and was released on a $10,000 bond. Under the strict conditions of his release, he is required to remain in his residence at all times—monitored by radio frequency (RF) technology—with exceptions only for employment, education, religious services, or medical care. Additionally, the court has ordered Carson to avoid excessive alcohol consumption and prohibited any unsupervised contact with minors under the age of 18.
DISCLAIMER: All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The arrest records or information about an arrest that are published or reported on NewsRadio WGNS and www.WGNSradio.com are not an indication of guilt or evidence that an actual crime has been committed.
