Man Admits Possessing Child Pornography in Retirement Home

ST. LOUIS – A man from Webster Groves, Missouri on Monday admitted possessing more than 170,000 images and 11,000 videos containing child sexual abuse material.

Joseph J. Fitzsimmons, 76, pleaded guilty to one felony count of possession of child pornography. In March of 2023, Fitzsimmons moved into an assisted living facility in Webster Groves and was getting help with his internet connection from an employee of the facility. That employee spotted two images containing child sexual abuse material and contacted the Webster Groves Police Department.

A court approved search of Fitzsimmons apartment recovered computers and other electronic devices that were then examined by the St. Louis County Police Department. A total of 170,310 images and 11,410 videos containing child sexual abuse material were found on the devices, as well as 16,780 computer-generated or animated images and 549 videos.

Fitzsimmons is scheduled to be sentenced March 4, 2025. The charge is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both prison and a fine.

The Webster Groves Police Department, the St. Louis County Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Hayes is prosecuting 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 launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.