Missouri woman in polyamorous ‘throuple’ relationship sentenced for child sex abuse

A Missouri woman involved in a polyamorous relationship has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for sexually abusing children alongside the other two people in the relationship.

Jessica Nicole Pickett of Strafford, Missouri, served as a live-in girlfriend for 10 years to Mallory Bunch and Thomas Bunch Jr., who were married. Thomas Bunch had several children, some of whom were minors living with the “throuple,” yet he still wanted to bring another girlfriend into the family so he could have more children, according to court documents. Strafford is a small town near Springfield, Missouri.

Between September 2016 and May 2024, Thomas Bunch directed the two women to have recorded sexual intercourse with two children. Court documents indicate the abused children were Mallory and Thomas Bunch’s own children.

Mallory Bunch repeatedly sexually abused one of the boys starting when he was 14 years old, recorded it and sent the videos to Thomas Bunch. Pickett also shared nearly 400 images and videos depicting sexual activity involving all three adults – Pickett, Mallory and Thomas Bunch – with the boy.

Years earlier, Pickett had sexually abused one of Mallory Bunch’s sons when he was also 14 years old. The victim, now an adult, told investigators Pickett abused him about 30 times.

Thomas Bunch passed away June 15, 2024, less than a month after the investigation began.

Mallory Bunch and Pickett have both been charged with multiple counts related to child sexual exploitation and child pornography. Pickett pleaded guilty to her charges in January and was sentenced Tuesday to 25 years in prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release. She will also be required to register as a sex offender.

Mallory Bunch still awaits sentencing.

The case comes amid other high-profile cases involving child sexual abuse by adults in nontraditional family or relationship arrangements. Other cases include a gay Georgia couple who sexually abused their two adopted sons, a polygamous man in Arizona who kidnapped and abused several children, and a Cincinnati mother in a relationship with two transgender women who is accused of abusing her son to death.