KANSAS CITY, MO—Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Liberty, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for receiving child pornography over the Internet.

Tracy J. Yost, 44, of Liberty, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 15 years in federal prison without parole.

On Dec. 4, 2014, Yost pleaded guilty to receiving child pornography over the Internet.

Based upon an investigation of persons using a peer-to-peer file-sharing program, investigators executed a search warrant at Yost’s residence on April 5, 2013, and seized several computer hard drives. Forensic examiners found several videos of child pornography on one of the hard drives. According to court documents, Yost was also involved in a sexually exploitative interaction with a minor.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore. It was investigated by the FBI.

Project Safe Childhood

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”