A Shelby County jury on Tuesday found Cortney Jones guilty of raping a 13-year-old, bringing a yearlong pattern of abuse to a grim conclusion in criminal court, the district attorney’s office said. Prosecutors told jurors the assaults happened on multiple occasions throughout 2022 and that the victim knew Jones through the family. Jones is due back in Shelby County Criminal Court for sentencing on April 27, 2026.
Inside the courtroom
During the trial, prosecutors walked jurors through Jones’ shifting story about where he lived while describing multiple incidents in 2022. They argued that those contradictions, paired with testimony and other evidence, undercut his credibility and backed up the girl’s account, according to LocalMemphis. The jury ultimately returned a guilty verdict on the rape charge.
How the victim described him and what he faces
The victim told authorities she knew Jones as “a friend of the family,” LocalMemphis reports. The jury convicted him of rape of a minor, a crime that carries a possible sentence of 12 to 20 years in prison. Under Tennessee law, he must also register as a violent sex offender and could be placed under lifetime community supervision after release. His formal sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 27, 2026, in Shelby County Criminal Court.
What Tennessee law says
Tennessee law requires people convicted of specified sex offenses to be listed on the state registry and allows courts to impose community supervision for life in qualifying cases. State guidance and case law spell out how those rules work in practice. For more on registration requirements and lifetime supervision, see background from the county technical assistance service at CTAS and a precedent-setting opinion from the Tennessee Supreme Court.
What happens next
Jones is expected to return to Shelby County Criminal Court on April 27 for sentencing, when a judge will decide his punishment within the statutory range. This story will be updated after the hearing with any new filings or statements from prosecutors, defense attorneys, or the court.
