Audrain County Man Sentenced on Federal Child Pornography Charges

St. Louis, MO: William H. Steele was sentenced to 41 months in prison on federal child pornography charges, United States Attorney Catherine L. Hanaway announced today.

“This sentence should send a message to those who believe they can possess photographs of underage children without any consequence,” said Hanaway. “Law enforcement at all levels will  work together to identify them and prosecute them.”

Steele, 41, Mexico, MO, pled guilty last December to one felony count of possession of child pornography.  According to court documents, Steele was in possession of child pornography on his computer in January 2008.  He appeared for sentencing before United States District Judge Jean C. Hamilton, today in St. Louis. Following his prison sentence, he will be on supervised release for life.

These cases are brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

Hanaway commended the work on the case by the Mid-Missouri Internet Crimes Task Force, the Montgomery City Police Department, the Montgomery County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, the Mexico Department of Public Safety, Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Assistant United States Attorney Ray Meyer, who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

 

Press Releases | St. Louis Home