Columbia Man Indicted for Child Pornography

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Columbia, Missouri was indicted by a federal grand jury yesterday for receiving child pornography.

Steven D. French, 60, of Columbia, Mo., was charged by a federal grand jury in Jefferson City, Mo., with one count of receiving or distributing child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography.

The federal indictment charges French with downloading child pornography from, and uploading child pornography to, the internet. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at French’s residence on Aug. 29, 2018. Officers seized computers and other electronic media from his residence and submitted them for forensic examination. Forensic examination revealed images depicting child pornography as well as evidence of receipt of child pornography.

The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley S. Turner. It was investigated by the FBI and the Boone County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.