Federal Court Sentences Wapello Man On Child Pornography Charges

DAVENPORT, IA - On March 28, 2014, Shannon Wade Watson, age 39, formerly of Wapello, Iowa, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge John A. Jarvey to 120 months imprisonment for possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt. Watson was ordered to serve fifteen years of supervised release following the period of imprisonment, and to pay $100 towards the Crime Victims Fund. Watson will also be required to register as a sex offender.

In July of 2011, a Scott County Deputy and member of the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force participated in an online investigation of the possession of child pornography. The deputy identified images of child pornography on a computer later identified as belonging to Shannon Wade Watson. On September 26, 2011, a search warrant was conducted at Watson’s Wapello residence, resulting in the seizure of the identified computer and related equipment. A forensic examination of a computer hard drive and two thumb drives identified over 300 images of child pornography. Watson pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography in November of 2013.

This case was investigated by the Scott County Sheriff’s Office, the Internet Crimes Against Children task force and the United States Secret Service Cyber-Crimes Unit. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

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