SPRINGFIELD, MO—Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today a Nixa, Mo., man has pleaded guilty in federal court to producing child pornography.

Michael John Kinney, 40, of Nixa, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P Rush on Tuesday, July 29, 2014, to one count of producing child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography. Kinney was taken into federal custody at the conclusion of yesterday’s plea hearing.

By pleading guilty, Kinney admitted that he used a minor victim to produce child pornography between Jan. 27, 2007, and Jan. 26, 2009. Kinney also admitted that he was in possession of child pornography on April 29, 2011.

Federal agents executed search warrants at Kinney’s home and business addresses and seized two laptop computers from his home. Investigators discovered 10 videos of child pornography that were made from a hidden camera in Kinney’s home and additional videos and images of child pornography, including children under the age of six engaged in acts of sexual intercourse with adults or other children. Investigators also discovered numerous images of child erotica, including a child victim in various stages of undress. Kinney must forfeit those computers to the government.

Under the terms of Kinney’s plea agreement, the government will recommend a sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Randall D. Eggert. It was investigated by the FBI, IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Christian County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.

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.”