Shivers gets 30 years for child pornography

A Washington County man who pleaded guilty to production of child pornography was sentenced to 30 years in prison on Thursday.

Reynolds Edward “Eddie” Shivers, 47, was sentenced in federal court after pleading guilty in November to two counts of producing child pornography. Each charge carries a sentence of 15 to 30 years in federal prison. United States District Judge Charles A. Shaw handled the sentencing.

“The production of these types of images creates a permanent record of sexual abuse,” said United States Attorney Catherine L. Hanaway. “Mr. Shivers and people like him deserve to receive the maximum penalties allowed by law to remove them from society.”

The charges stem from an investigation in Washington County that also led to state charges of child sexual molestation against Shivers. He admitted guilt in a case that involved a child younger than 14 and was sentenced to five years in state prison.

The federal and state sentences will run concurrently, meaning Shivers will serve the state time while in federal prison. He will be on federal supervision for 10 years after his release.

“We are pleased with the outcome of this case,” said Washington County Prosecuting Attorney John Rupp. “It sends a strong message to those who abuse our children.”

Shivers was one of 52 people prosecuted in 2007 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Missouri on charges involving child sex exploitation. The year was a record breaker for prosecutions involving child pornography, child sex abuse and transportation of a child across state lines for sexual purposes.

According to Hanaway, investigators received information in 2007 about child molestation and child pornography allegations against Shivers. Further investigation revealed that Shivers had created sexually explicit photographs of at least four children, including an eight-year-old, a five-year-old and an 18-month-old.

Hanaway commended the work on the case by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Washington County Sheriff’s Department, Bureau Immigration and Customs Enforcement ICE, the Missouri Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Regional Computer Crimes Education and Enforcement Group, and Assistant United States Attorney Tiffany Becker, who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The case was investigated as part of Project Safe Childhood. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, investigation and prosecution of those who sexually abuse children, read the Daily Journal’s recent series, “Shattering the Silence,” at http://www.dailyjournalonline.com/abuse.

Paula Barr is a reporter for the Daily Journal and can be reached at 573-431-2010, ext. 172 or at pbarr@dailyjournalonline.com.