James Matthew Hargens, Receipt of Child Pornography, Iowa 2022

A Council Bluffs man has been sentenced to federal prison for his role in a child pornography case.

James Matthew Hargens, 37, of Council Bluffs, was sentenced on December 15, 2022, to 121 months in prison following his plea of guilty to Receipt of Child Pornography.

Hargens will be required to register as a sex offender and serve five years of supervised release following his release from prison. Hargens was also ordered to pay restitution.

The investigation into Hargens began in November 2021, when a social media application sent a cybertip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding an account that uploaded several images and videos of child pornography.

The cybertip was referred to Iowa Internet Crimes Against Children and the Council Bluffs Police Department initiated an investigation. The investigation led to a search warrant at Hargens’ residence. A forensic analysis identified that Hargens received, possessed, and downloaded numerous images and videos of child pornography.

The investigation was conducted by the Council Bluffs Police Department, the United States Secret Service National Computer Forensics Institute, who provided training and equipment. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa prosecuted the case.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal made the announcement. Hargens’ guilty plea and sentencing are the result of efforts by law enforcement to combat child pornography and protect vulnerable victims.

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