Ian Mackie, Child Enticement and Receipt of Child Pornography, Missouri 2023

St. Louis, MO — Ian Mackie, a 34-year-old from Ballwin, Missouri, is headed to federal prison for 14 years after pleading guilty to multiple charges of child enticement and receipt of child pornography. The sentence, handed down today by U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel, marks the end of a disturbing case centered on the predatory use of digital platforms to target minors.

Court documents reveal Mackie used social media, email, and text messages to groom and lure two underage boys — ages 13 and 15 — into engaging in sexual acts. The communications, described in filings as explicit and manipulative, were part of a deliberate campaign to exploit the vulnerability of young victims online.

In June, Mackie pleaded guilty to one felony count each of attempted receipt of child pornography, online enticement of a minor, receipt of child pornography, and attempted online enticement of a minor. Prosecutors emphasized the calculated nature of his actions, noting he initiated contact under false pretenses and escalated conversations toward sexual activity.

The investigation was led by the St. Louis County Police Department, the Missouri Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Authorities say digital forensics played a critical role in unmasking Mackie’s identity and preserving evidence from encrypted platforms.

Assistant United States Attorney Colleen Lang prosecuted the case, calling it a textbook example of how predators weaponize technology to access children. “This wasn’t a mistake or a moment of poor judgment,” Lang said in court. “This was a sustained, intentional effort to exploit minors for sexual gratification.”

Mackie will serve his 168-month sentence in federal custody, followed by a lifetime of supervised release and mandatory sex offender registration. The case underscores the growing threat of online enticement and the ongoing push by federal and local agencies to intercept predators before they physically harm their victims.

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