CAPE GIRARDEAU, Missouri – A former Farmington kindergarten teacher has admitted to possessing and sharing child sexual abuse material. Erika L. Morton, 37, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau to one count of possession of child pornography.
The charge carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both prison and a fine. Morton is scheduled to be sentenced in April.
According to the plea agreement, Morton admitted that she was the Kik Messenger app user responsible for sending the child sexual abuse material. She also admitted that she used her cell phone to obtain the material while at her home in Ste. Genevieve County.
The investigation into Morton’s activities began in February 2025, when the Missouri State Highway Patrol received a cybertip reporting that a Kik user had uploaded several video files containing images of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Investigators traced the account to Morton and interviewed her on June 17, 2025.
Morton’s case was investigated by both the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Koester is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Erika L. Morton, a former kindergarten teacher, has admitted to possessing and sharing child sexual abuse material. She pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau to one count of possession of child pornography.
Related Federal Cases
- Douglas E Sands, Child Pornography Possession, Missouri 2023 · Kansas
- Donovan K. Munter, Possession of Child Pornography, Missouri 2024 · Kansas
- George Patterson, Child Pornography Possession, Missouri 2015 · Kansas
- Kenneth Larrechea, Child Pornography Possession, Missouri 2017 · Kansas
- Steven Robert Hill, Child Pornography Possession, Missouri 2023 · Missouri
Key Facts
- State: Missouri
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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