ST. LOUIS — A 24 year old Lincoln County man pleaded guilty Wednesday to federal charges involving the production and receipt of child sexual abuse material, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri.
Federal prosecutors said Michael Anthony Lynch, 24, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of production of child pornography and one count of receipt of child pornography.
VOTP News STL uses the term child sexual abuse material, or CSAM, when referring generally to this type of material. The federal criminal charges retain the statutory terminology used by the court.
The investigation began after an online service detected three files containing child sexual abuse material on one of Lynch’s online accounts, triggering a CyberTipline report to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, prosecutors said.
A court authorized search of the account uncovered additional material, according to federal prosecutors.
Investigators later searched Lynch’s home and found additional CSAM along with evidence that Lynch had personally produced material involving an underage girl, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
Lynch is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 14, 2027.
Federal prosecutors and Lynch’s attorney have agreed to jointly recommend a sentence of 18 years in federal prison, although the final sentence will be determined by the court.
The St. Charles County Cyber Crime Task Force, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office and FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson prosecuted the case.
Federal officials said the prosecution was brought under Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative focused on investigating and prosecuting the sexual exploitation and abuse of children.
Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri.
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