Fayette Co. Man Sentenced for Child Sex Exploitation

Fayette County’s Benton Stong has been handed a life sentence after being found guilty of child sexual exploitation and possession of child pornography. The 76-year-old from Oran, Iowa, was convicted by a federal jury on September 17, 2013, in Cedar Rapids. Stong, who faces up to 110 years in prison, used, persuaded, and enticed four children into sexually explicit acts for the production of visual depictions.

The jury reached their decision following approximately one hour of deliberation. The evidence presented at trial depicted a pattern of exploitation dating back from 2009 to 2012, with Stong’s residence in Oran being the location where child pornography was found.

Stong remains in custody pending sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade. He is facing a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 110 years, along with $1,250,000 in fines and at least five years of supervised release.

Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel led the prosecution, while the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office and the Iowa Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force conducted the investigation. This case was part of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse.

For more information on Project Safe Childhood and resources for internet safety education, visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Court file information can be accessed at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl with the case number CR 13-2014.