Salina Man Pleads Guilty To Distributing Child Porn

WICHITA, KAN. – A Salina man pleaded guilty Tuesday to distributing child pornography. As part of a plea agreement in the case, prosecutors agreed to drop charges that the defendant threatened the life of the President of the United States, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

Aaron McDowell, 25, Salina, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of distributing child pornography. Investigators discovered the child pornography while investigating charges that McDowell posted a threat to kill the president on social media.

Investigators examining McDowell’s phone found images of child pornography. They went on to discover that for about a year McDowell used an online chat application to trade child pornography with other users.

Sentencing is set for Nov. 20. The plea agreement recommends McDowell be sentenced to not less than 168 months and not more than 216 months in federal prison. McAllister commended the U.S. Secret Service, the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office, the Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart for their work on the case.