Ex-sheriff’s deputy sentenced to prison for child porn

Former Greene County Sheriff’s Deputy Juan Jones was sentenced yesterday for receiving and distributing child pornography.

The 28-year-old was ordered to serve seven years in federal prison without parole, followed by 10 years of supervised release, according to a news release from the office of Tammy Dickinson, U.S. attorney for the Western District of Missouri.

Jones worked as a sheriff’s deputy for Greene County from September 2013 until January, when he was fired, arrested and charged for the crimes. He pleaded guilty in April.

His crimes were discovered in September 2015, after online file-hosting service Dropbox Inc. sent a tip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Dropbox found video and image files that had been uploaded by Jones, leading to an investigation by the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, according to the release.

On Jan. 6, investigators executed a search warrant on Jones’ residence. During the investigation, they contacted Jones at the Greene County Sheriff’s Office, and he admitted to looking at child pornography - including on Tumblr - for as long as 10 years.

Court documents indicate Jones possessed more than 1,500 images and 451 videos, including those of infants and young children engaged in bestiality, bondage and sadistic conduct, according to the release.