Paul William Flett, Child Exploitation, Iowa 2025

A Humbolt, Iowa man has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for his role in the sexual exploitation of a child. Paul William Flett, 44, was sentenced in federal court in Sioux City, Iowa on June 3, 2025.

Flett pleaded guilty on January 23, 2025 to one count of sexual exploitation of a child. According to evidence presented in the case, Flett sent links and images of child pornography to underage girls and asked them to send images and videos of themselves to him.

On June 6, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Flett’s home and during a consensual interview, Flett admitted to the conduct and stated he threw his phone in a closet when law enforcement arrived because he knew they were there for him.

Forensic analysis of Flett’s electronics and Kik account discovered a total of 16 videos and 60 images of child pornography, including several that Flett had asked children to record of themselves. The images and videos contained material that portrayed sadistic or masochistic conduct, as well as prepubescent children, infants, and toddlers.

Flett was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment, ordered to pay $3,600 in restitution and assessments, and ordered to serve a term of supervised release of 5 years following imprisonment. Flett remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service until he can be transported to a federal prison.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. government to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The project marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Cyber-Crime Unit, and Webster County Sheriff’s Office in Missouri and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.