A St. Louis County man has pleaded guilty to possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and discussing such material online over several years.
Brayden M. Swathwood, 29, admitted in federal court to one count of possession of child pornography. According to prosecutors, Swathwood also exchanged CSAM with an individual in Georgia and claimed during online conversations that he was sexually abusing a 4-year-old minor and intended to record the abuse. Authorities stated there is no evidence confirming these claims about the minor.
On December 17, 2024, agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in St. Louis executed a court-approved search of Swathwood’s apartment and vehicle in St. Louis County. They seized his cellphone and other electronic devices. During an interview with investigators, Swathwood admitted to viewing and discussing CSAM online.
Swathwood is scheduled for sentencing on May 12, 2026. The charge carries a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 or both.
The case was investigated by HSI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson.
According to the Department of Justice, this prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood—a nationwide initiative started in May 2006 aimed at fighting child sexual exploitation and abuse through collaboration among federal, state, and local agencies as well as identifying victims. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at www.justice.gov/psc.
