Joseph Gunther Sampson, Child Pornography, Oklahoma 2026

Tulsa Man Sentenced to 121 Months for Child Pornography

A Tulsa man has been sentenced to 121 months in prison for his role in a child pornography investigation. Joseph Gunther Sampson, 31, was convicted of Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography and Possession of Child Pornography in Indian Country.

The investigation began in August 2024, when the FBI discovered messages between Sampson and another individual discussing minor children for sexual purposes. During a subsequent interview, Sampson allowed law enforcement to search his phone, where they found multiple images containing Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM).

After being confronted about the CSAM, Sampson admitted to having viewed child pornography for the past five years. He further admitted to receiving and sharing CSAM through an application on his phone. A search of Sampson's home revealed three more electronic devices, which contained hundreds of images and videos containing CSAM. Multiple videos depict minors under the age of 12.

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children's (NCMEC) CyberTipline assisted in the case by analyzing the images found by investigators to identify known and unknown child sexual assault victims. The FBI investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Ihler prosecuted 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. Sampson will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. Upon release, he will be required to register as a sex offender.

According to the NCMEC, the CyberTipline has received more than 195 million reports since its inception in 1998. The Child Victim Identification Program has reviewed more than 425 million CSAM images or videos and helped identify more than 30,000 victims.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndok/pr/tulsan-sentenced-possessing-100s-images-and-videos-containing-sexual-abuse-children