George Patterson, Child Pornography Possession, MO 2015

George Patterson of Bland, Missouri, is headed to federal prison for 121 months after being convicted on federal child pornography charges. The 38-year-old now faces a decade behind bars for amassing a digital archive of abuse that investigators say included approximately 3,000 illicit images.

Court documents reveal that in December 2015 and January 2016, the Missouri Internet Crimes Against Children (MOICAC) Task Force flagged an email address tied to Patterson for uploading suspected child pornography to a Google Plus photos account. That digital trail led agents straight to his doorstep in the small central Missouri town of Bland.

On April 27, 2016, federal agents executed a search warrant at Patterson’s residence. Forensic analysis of his cell phone uncovered the disturbing cache—thousands of images depicting child pornography and child erotica, stored and accessible at his fingertips.

Patterson admitted his guilt in November, pleading guilty to one felony count of possession of child pornography. No plea deal softened the blow. Today, he stood before United States District Judge Catherine D. Perry, who handed down the 121-month sentence without leniency.

The case was jointly investigated by the Missouri Internet Crimes Against Children (MOICAC) Task Force and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Their collaboration underscores the growing reach of cybercrime units targeting predators who exploit children across digital platforms.

Assistant United States Attorney Rob Livergood prosecuted the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, emphasizing that federal law will pursue those who possess and circulate child sexual abuse material—regardless of whether they are caught in a major city or a quiet rural community like Bland.