A Rogersville, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for the sexual exploitation of two child victims.
Jake Ethan Patterson, 28, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023, to 25 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Patterson to spend the rest of his life on supervised release following incarceration.
On Dec. 20, 2022, Patterson pleaded guilty to two counts of the sexual exploitation of a child.
The investigation began in June 2021, when Canadian law enforcement authorities seized two cell phones belonging to a citizen of Canada. Forensic analysis of the cell phones uncovered Snapchat conversations with Patterson. During those conversations, Patterson shared multiple videos and images of child pornography involving two young children who were approximately three to five years old.
Law enforcement officers interviewed Patterson, who admitted to producing sexually explicit images of the child victims. Patterson also admitted he had additional child pornography stored on his cell phone.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the FBI, the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
