Show-Me State Times

ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Thursday sentenced a St. Charles County man to 140 months in prison for possession of child pornography and methamphetamine.

The case originated when the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a tip about someone sharing child sex abuse material via a Kik Messenger account. A detective with the St. Charles County Cyber Crimes Task Force traced the account to Roman Van Stone’s home in O’Fallon, Missouri. A court-approved search of the residence revealed two handguns, an AR-15 rifle, and bags containing 68.5 grams of methamphetamine. Child pornography was also found on Van Stone's iPhone.

Van Stone, now 52, pleaded guilty in April to one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

The FBI and the St. Louis County Police Department Special Investigations Unit investigated the case, which was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan Chapman.

This case was part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood coordinates federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet while also identifying and rescuing victims.

For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.