A former Mississippi police officer has been sentenced on child exploitation charges,

District Attorney Hall Kitrell announced Thursday that 45-year-old Randolph “Randy” Wesley Burge, from Nicholson, Mississippi, pleaded guilty to two counts of exploitation of a child.

The former Picayune police officer was sentenced to consecutive terms of 40 years with 15 years to serve in the Mississippi Department of Corrections.

This means Burge will serve 33 years day-for-day without the possibility of parole or early release. Burge must also register as a sex offender upon release.

The DA’s office says the case arose from a report of a Snapchat profile using the name “$ugar Baby $eeker – Picayune” that was soliciting minor children for sexual purposes.

During the course of the investigation, Burge was identified as the user of the account with his intent being to engage in sexual conduct with minor children. Burge started working part-time as a patrol officer at PPD a couple of months before his arrest in April 2021.

“He is no longer a member of the Picayune Police Department,” said former PPD Chief Freddy Drennan the day after Burge’s arrest.