A Missouri man has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for recording himself engaging in sexual acts with a minor. U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey delivered the sentence on Tuesday.
Russell Alan Pirkey, aged 54 from Linn County, used his cell phone to document the sexual exploitation of a 10-year-old girl. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan Chapman revealed that the abuse spanned several months and began when the victim was nine years old, following grooming by Pirkey starting in August 2022.
The crime came to light on April 8, 2023, after an individual raised concerns about Pirkey's interactions with the victim and contacted the Brookfield Police Department.
Pirkey admitted guilt in September at the U.S. District Court in St. Louis to charges of sexual exploitation of a child.
The investigation involved efforts from the FBI, Brookfield Police Department, and Linn County Sheriff’s Office, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan Chapman leading the prosecution.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to address child sexual exploitation and abuse nationwide. The program combines federal, state, and local resources to identify offenders who exploit children online and rescue victims. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at www.justice.gov/psc.
