A Red Oak resident, Tracy Brian Schooling, 51, has been sentenced to 27 years in federal prison for sexual exploitation of a child and possession of child pornography. The sentencing took place on November 21, 2025.
Court documents state that the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received CyberTips about an account later linked to Schooling, which had uploaded files containing child sexual abuse material. Authorities conducted a search at Schooling’s residence in Red Oak and seized electronic devices. Forensic analysis revealed that Schooling used these devices to possess and produce images and videos depicting child sexual abuse. Investigators found more than 300 videos and 300 images containing such material.
Upon completion of his prison sentence, Schooling will serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole available in the federal system. Additionally, he was ordered to pay $27,000 in restitution.
United States Attorney David C. Waterman for the Southern District of Iowa announced the sentencing. The investigation was led by the Iowa Department of Public Safety-Division of Criminal Investigation-Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Federal Bureau of Investigation-Child Exploitation Task Force, with assistance from the Red Oak Police Department.
"This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims." For more information about Project Safe Childhood visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
