A former Fairfield man, Auston Jacobus Hummell, age 23, has been handed down a harsh sentence for his involvement in a child pornography case. On January 26, 2022, Hummell was sentenced to 190 months in prison for Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography.
Following his prison term, Hummell will serve ten years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $3,000 to each of his eleven victims – a total of $33,000. Additionally, Hummell was instructed to pay a $100 Special Assessment fee.
According to court documents, the investigation into Hummell began when the Mount Pleasant Police Department received a CyberTip from the Iowa Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The CyberTip indicated files containing child pornography were uploaded from specific IP addresses and those IP addresses traced back to Hummell.
After liaising with the Kahoka Police Department in Kahoka, Missouri, a search warrant was issued for Hummell’s known residence and numerous electronic devices were seized. The devices contained over 120,000 images and videos containing child pornography.
On June 21, 2021, Hummell pleaded guilty to the charge. This case is a stark reminder of the importance of protecting our children from sexual exploitation.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Mount Pleasant Police Department, Kahoka Police Department, and the Iowa Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
As part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Childhood” initiative, which was started in 2006 as a nation-wide effort to combine law enforcement investigations and prosecutions, community action, and public awareness in order to reduce the incidence of sexual exploitation of children.
Any persons having knowledge of a child being sexually abused are encouraged to call the Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline at 1-800-284-7821.
Hummell’s sentence serves as a warning to those who would seek to exploit and abuse our children. The law enforcement agencies involved in this case deserve our gratitude and appreciation for their tireless efforts to bring criminals to justice.
This case is a testament to the importance of community action and public awareness in preventing child exploitation. We must continue to work together to protect our children and keep them safe from harm.
Related Federal Cases
- Abigail Margarete Knight, Child Pornography, Iowa 2024 · Texas
- Steven Robert Hill, Child Pornography Possession, Iowa 2023 · Iowa
- Daniel Logan Walden, Possession of Child Pornography, Iowa 2017 · Iowa
- Robert Jene Smith, Child Pornography, Iowa 2024 · Arkansas
- Joseph Lee Rhodes, Child Pornography Charges, Iowa 2026 · Iowa
Key Facts
- State: Iowa
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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