Springfield Sex Offender Joshua Wood Gets 15 Years for Child Porn

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Joshua Emanuel Wood, a 46-year-old Springfield man and registered sex offender, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison without parole for receiving child pornography, which was discovered on his cell phone.

Wood, who is required to register as a sex offender due to his 2018 conviction of possessing child pornography, pleaded guilty on Dec. 12, 2023, to one count of receiving and distributing child pornography. The court also sentenced him to 10 years of supervised release following his incarceration.

The investigation began when Wood left 41 threatening voice mail messages on May 29 and 30, 2022, for the employee of the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department who was in charge of registering sex offenders. The threats led to Wood’s arrest, and law enforcement officers found child sexual abuse material on his Google Pixel cell phone, including 107 images of child pornography and web searches for child pornography.

According to court documents, the forensic analysis of Wood’s cell phone demonstrated that he had been wiping his cell phone frequently, making it difficult to determine the extent of his involvement with child pornography. However, investigators found that the child pornography files had been received over a period of just a few days.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan and investigated by the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, Homeland Security Investigations, the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.

Wood’s sentencing is a significant blow to those who prey on the vulnerable and exploit children for their own twisted desires. This case serves as a reminder that law enforcement is committed to protecting our communities and bringing perpetrators to justice.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.

Judge Stephen R. Bough handed down the sentence, which is a harsh reminder that child exploitation will not be tolerated in our society. Wood’s actions demonstrate a blatant disregard for the law and a disturbing lack of empathy for the victims of child abuse.