A Webster Groves, Missouri man has pleaded guilty to possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material online. Joseph A. Seiffertt, 44, admitted in court on Tuesday to one count of possession of child pornography.
According to court documents, Seiffertt had 43 images and 433 videos containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) stored on his cell phone. He also used artificial intelligence-powered applications to create nude depictions of clothed individuals, including minors. Investigators found that Seiffertt discussed the sexual abuse of minors with someone online and both shared and received CSAM through the Kik Messenger app.
Seiffertt is set for sentencing on March 11, 2026. The U.S. Attorney’s Office plans to recommend a sentence of 12 years in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the St. Louis County Special Investigations Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson is prosecuting the case.
"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 Department of Justice Criminal Division's 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," according to information provided about Project Safe Childhood. Additional details can be found at www.justice.gov/psc.
