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Press Release

Elkhorn Man Sentenced to 102 Months for Distributing Child Pornography

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Nebraska

United States Attorney Steven A. Russell announced that John R. Steier, age 32, was sentenced in federal court today in Omaha, Nebraska, for distributing child pornography.  Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter sentenced Steier to 102 months of imprisonment.  There is no parole in the federal system.  After completing his term of imprisonment, Steier will begin a 10-year term of supervised release.  Steier was also ordered to pay $6,000 in restitution and a $4,000 assessment.

Between October 28, 2019, and April 29, 2021, from his Elkhorn, Nebraska, residence, Steier made child pornography available for download on the internet program eMule.  On July 19, 2021, from the Glenwood, Iowa, fire department, Steier made child pornography available for download from the same eMule account.    Steier was a fireman in Glenwood.  On October 14, 2021, agents searched Steier’s Elkhorn residence.  During the search, Steier took agents to the Glenwood fire department and agents obtained his laptop.  Agents located approximately 80 videos of child pornography (40 unique) on the laptop. 

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and 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 CEOS, 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.

Contact

Michael P. Norris, Criminal Division Chief (402) 661-3700

Updated April 7, 2023

Topic
Project Safe Childhood