Missouri Man Admits Possessing Child Pornography

ST. LOUIS – A Warren County, Missouri man on Tuesday admitted possessing hundreds of images containing child sexual abuse material on phones and a laptop.

Jacob D. Beauchamp, 45, of Wright City, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. Beauchamp admitted possessing 146 images containing child sexual abuse material on his Apple iPhone, about 1,800 on his Samsung phone and numerous images on a screensaver that was running on his laptop. The investigation was sparked by a minor female who said Beauchamp sexually abused her and recorded that abuse. Beauchamp denied that in his plea agreement.

Beauchamp is scheduled to be sentenced July 17. The charge carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison, and a fine of up to $250,000, or both prison and a fine.

The Wright City Police Department and the St. Charles County Cyber Crime Task Force investigated the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson 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.