ST. LOUIS – In a chilling admission, a 50-year-old man from Warren County, Missouri has pleaded guilty to sharing explicit child sexual abuse material online.
Donald Carl Held faced charges in U.S. District Court in St. Louis, admitting to receipt and distribution of child pornography. Held admitted to exchanging photos of a 15-year-old girl with an undercover investigator, falsely claiming the images depicted him engaged in sexual activity with the teen.
A joint investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the St. Charles County Police Department led to a March 4 search of Held’s home, uncovering electronic devices loaded with child sexual abuse material. Held confessed to daily sharing such content online through Teleguard, lying about the minor involved.
Held’s cellphone held 1,077 images and videos, while his Telegram accounts revealed extensive communication promoting CSAM. The defendant even advised others on evading law enforcement detection.
Scheduled for sentencing on October 27, Held faces up to 20 years in prison for each charge. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Hayes is handling the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a DOJ initiative targeting child sexual exploitation and abuse.
Project Safe Childhood, initiated by the Department of Justice in May 2006, coordinates federal, state, and local efforts to apprehend and prosecute individuals exploiting children online. More information on this crucial initiative is available at www.justice.gov/psc.
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Key Facts
- State: Missouri
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes|Cybercrime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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