Timothy T. Duax U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa
Gregory William Douglas McCormick, a 23-year-old resident of Mapleton, Iowa, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for possession of child pornography. The sentencing took place on May 20, 2025, following McCormick's guilty plea on January 6, 2025.
According to evidence presented in the case, between May 1, 2022, and February 23, 2023, McCormick received, distributed, and possessed child pornography. In 2022, the internet messaging application Kik identified that one of its users had uploaded approximately seven files depicting child pornography. This led to a report being filed with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and subsequently assigned to the Iowa Internet Crimes Against Child Task Force. Law enforcement traced the account back to McCormick.
A search warrant was executed at McCormick’s residence where he admitted responsibility for receiving and distributing child pornography linked to the CyberTip report. He also acknowledged having such material on his current cell phone as well as two older devices. A forensic examination revealed that McCormick possessed a total of 120 images and seven videos involving child pornography which included content depicting infants and toddlers engaged in sadistic and masochistic acts.
The sentencing was carried out by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand in Sioux City. Besides serving a prison term of 60 months without parole—since there is no parole in the federal system—McCormick has been ordered to pay $10,100 in restitution and assessments. Following his release from prison, he will be subject to a five-year term of supervised release. Until he is transported to a federal facility, McCormick remains in custody under the United States Marshal’s service.
This prosecution forms part of Project Safe Childhood—a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse through coordinated efforts across federal, state, and local levels.
The investigation into this case was conducted by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Cyber Crime Bureau with Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit handling prosecution duties.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood or internet safety education resources provided by this initiative visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
