A jury has ordered Target Corporation to pay $150,000 to the estate of a man who was falsely accused of possessing child pornography—an allegation that upended his life and lingered until his death.
The case centers on Jeffrey Buckmeyer, a 43-year-old Oregon man who visited a Target store in 2018 seeking help with his iPhone. What followed, according to court records, was a devastating chain of events. A store worker claimed to have seen explicit images involving children on Buckmeyer’s phone and reported it to authorities.
Within days, Buckmeyer was detained by federal agents, his home was searched, and his electronic devices were seized. Though he was never charged, the accusation spread to his landlord, business contacts, and family—causing severe emotional distress.
Investigation found no evidence
After months of investigation, the FBI quietly dropped the case and returned Buckmeyer’s devices, finding no evidence to support the claims. However, the damage had already been done.
According to testimony, Buckmeyer spent thousands of dollars on legal fees and lived under constant stress, fearing social stigma and isolation. He died later in 2019 from cardiac arrest, before his civil lawsuit could be resolved.
Jury sides with victim’s estate
In a recent trial, a Multnomah County jury concluded that the allegations were false and that the store worker’s actions caused significant emotional harm. The jury awarded $150,000 to Buckmeyer’s estate for intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Attorneys for Target argued the employee acted in “good faith” and was actually a contractor, not a direct employee. However, the court allowed the case to proceed, ruling the worker appeared to act as a representative of the company.
A fight to clear his name
Buckmeyer’s former partner said clearing his name became his “dying wish.” Even after the investigation ended, she said the stigma never fully disappeared.
The verdict, while smaller than the $4.5 million originally sought, is being seen by his family as long-overdue vindication.
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