Arrested on charges of child porn

A Farmington man, William F. Howell, 23, is in the St. Francois County Jail on charges of possessing child porn.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control made arrest, which resulted from an investigation by members of the Division of Drug and Crime Control’s Digital Forensics Investigative Unit and with assistance from the Farmington Police Department.

According to the Highway Patrol, on March 8, investigators executed a search warrant on Hilltop Street in Farmington, at Howell’s residence. As a result of their search, investigators seized electronic devices which were processed at the Missouri Digital Forensic Center and found to contain child pornography files.

The St. Francois County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office formally charged Howell on May 2 with three counts of possession of child pornography. Howell is being held at the St. Francois County Jail with a bond of $100,000.

The Division of Drug and Crime Control encourages internet users to promptly report to the patrol or local law enforcement anyone who attempts to engage in unwanted, inappropriate, or sexualized communications with children.

The Digital Forensics Investigative Unit and Missouri Digital Forensic Center are partially funded through grants provided by the Missouri Department of Public Safety (DPS) State Cyber Crime Grant (SCCG), and Missouri Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC).

William F. Howell

Sarah Haas is the assistant editor of the Daily Journal.