Timothy T. Duax U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa
A man from Arthur, Iowa, has been sentenced to eight years in federal prison for receiving child pornography. Wesley Ham, 32, pleaded guilty on August 20, 2025. Evidence presented during the plea and sentencing hearings indicated that between March 2022 and September 2023, Ham received and possessed more than 94 images and 79 videos of child pornography. A forensic review of his computer and phone found a total of 370 images and 99 videos, some involving infants, toddlers, and acts described as sadistic or masochistic.
Ham admitted to both receiving and possessing the material. He also acknowledged distributing child pornography in a separate Iowa state case in 2022. In connection with that case, Ham admitted to frequenting coffee shops and public spaces in attempts to encounter minors. He also said he visited bike trails in residential areas hoping to find people at home whom he could secretly observe.
United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand presided over the sentencing hearing on January 9, 2026. Ham was sentenced to serve 97 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. There is no parole available under the federal system. Additionally, Ham must pay $10,500 in restitution to victims identified in this case. He remains in custody pending transfer to a federal facility.
The prosecution was part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative started by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at addressing child sexual exploitation through coordination among federal, state, and local agencies. According to the Department of Justice website (www.usdoj.gov/psc), Project Safe Childhood focuses on locating offenders who exploit children online as well as identifying victims.
For further information about internet safety education resources related to Project Safe Childhood programs are available at www.usdoj.gov/psc.
"There is no parole in the federal system."
