A registered sex offender from Jefferson County, Missouri, has been sentenced to 16 years in prison for possessing child sexual abuse material and attempting to engage in a sexual conversation with an 11-year-old girl. The sentencing was handed down by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Clark.
Seth Allen Barger, aged 42, sent a friend request to the young victim in 2023 and used Facebook Messenger on July 26 of that year to initiate inappropriate communication. The girl's mother reported the incident to the St. Louis County Police Department, leading to an investigation where Barger claimed his account had been hacked.
During a search of Barger's phone, which he consented to, detectives from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office discovered 35 images containing child sexual abuse material. Subsequently, Barger pleaded guilty in November at the U.S. District Court in St. Louis to charges of receiving child pornography and enticement of a minor.
The case involved collaboration between the St. Louis County Police Department, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dianna Edwards was responsible for prosecuting.
This legal action is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at addressing child exploitation and abuse online. It combines efforts from federal, state, and local agencies to apprehend offenders and rescue victims. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at www.justice.gov/psc.
