Camden County Deputy Indicted on Additional Child Porn Charges

A former Camden County sheriff’s deputy has been hit with additional child porn charges, just weeks after being accused of distributing the vile material.

Darrin Marshall Skinner, 49, of Osage Beach, Mo., was indicted by a federal grand jury in Jefferson City on three counts of child porn-related charges. The charges include receiving and possessing child pornography, in addition to the original charge of distributing the material.

Skinner, a former deputy sheriff and school resource officer in the Macks Creek School District, was first accused of distributing child pornography in a criminal complaint filed on May 9. However, the indictment returned by the federal grand jury today supersedes that complaint and includes the new charges.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the original complaint, the investigation began when the social media platform MeWe reported a user, later identified as Skinner, had uploaded images of child pornography. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s Cyber Tip Line received the report and forwarded it to the Camden County Sheriff’s Department, which handed the case over to the Missouri State Highway Patrol due to Skinner’s connection to the department.

Investigators discovered that Skinner’s email address was linked to several sexually themed social groups on MeWe. On Aug. 1, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Skinner’s residence and interviewed him. The affidavit alleges that Skinner shared photos of prepubescent girls from the community with other MeWe users, cropping and adjusting the images to make them more suggestive.

The charges against Skinner are merely accusations, and he is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa A. Pierce is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol Digital Forensic Investigative Unit and the Missouri State Technical Assistance Team.

The case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. The program brings together federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as rescue victims.

Skinner’s indictment is a stark reminder of the dangers of child pornography and the importance of holding those who commit these heinous crimes accountable.

The U.S. Department of Justice is committed to protecting children from exploitation and abuse, and we will continue to work tirelessly to bring perpetrators to justice.