Eric Nathan Hans Gets 292 Months for Child Porn Production

Davenport man Eric Nathan Hans, 46, is behind bars for nearly 25 years after being sentenced to 292 months in federal prison for producing child pornography. The sentence, handed down December 13, 2016, by U.S. District Judge Stephanie M. Rose, marks the end of a grim case that exposed disturbing acts committed by Hans over multiple years in Scott County, Iowa.

Hans admitted to producing child pornography in December 2010 by using his cellular phone to take multiple photos of a 12-year-old child. The images, captured nearly a decade ago, were part of a criminal pattern that only came to light after a coordinated investigation revealed further digital evidence of his crimes. His guilty plea on June 13, 2016, laid bare the calculated nature of his actions.

But the abuse didn’t stop there. Investigators found Hans had also downloaded additional child pornography onto his personal computer in June 2014—years after the initial offense—proving a continued obsession with the exploitation of minors. The digital trail left behind provided federal prosecutors with irrefutable evidence, sealing his conviction in the Southern District of Iowa.

The probe was led by the Davenport Police Department and the Child Protection Response Center, agencies that routinely handle some of the most disturbing cases in the Quad Cities region. Their collaboration peeled back layers of digital obfuscation, uncovering files and timestamps that painted a damning picture of Hans’ predatory behavior.

U.S. Attorney Kevin E. VanderSchel, whose office prosecuted the case, emphasized the severity of the crime and the necessity of the lengthy sentence. Hans will serve a mandatory ten-year term of supervised release following his prison term, during which he will be monitored for any violations of his restrictions, including internet usage.

For more information, contact Rachel Scherle of the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 515-473-9300 or Rachel.Scherle@usdoj.gov. The case stands as a stark reminder that even years-old crimes can—and will—catch up to those who exploit the most vulnerable.