KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A 45-year-old former Blue Springs High School employee pleaded guilty on Tuesday to three child pornography charges and will face a minimum of 15 years in federal prison.
Steven Allen, of Independence, faced two counts of producing child pornography and one count of distributing child pornography over the internet. He was a paraprofessional at the school when the offenses occurred, according to a news release.
“By pleading guilty today, Allen admitted that he used two minor victims to produce child pornography and distributed those images, and others, to individuals over the internet,” the release stated. “Allen also admitted he had been sharing images of child pornography over the internet every couple of days for the past five to six years.”
When executing a search warrant in October 2019, officers seized “numerous electronic devices that contained more than 9,200 images and 89 videos of child pornography, including more than 800 images of infants and toddlers being sexually assaulted, 65 images of violent sexual acts, and two images of bestiality,” the release stated.
The plea agreement requires Allen to pay restitution.
A sentencing hearing has not yet been set.
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