Show-Me State Times

A St. Louis County man, John V. Knowles IV, 45, admitted in a U.S. District Court on Tuesday to possession of child pornography while under home confinement. This follows his previous conviction in 2018 for a similar offense.

Knowles had been released from prison and placed in home confinement on September 1, 2023. During a probation officer's visit eleven days later, electronic devices were found at his residence which he was not permitted to possess according to the terms of his supervised release. A subsequent court-approved search revealed child sexual abuse material on these devices.

He is set to be sentenced on January 30, 2025. The crime carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI, the U.S. Probation Office, and the St. Louis County Police Department with Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Lang handling prosecution duties.

This case falls under Project Safe Childhood, an initiative started by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at addressing child sexual exploitation and abuse nationwide.

For more details about Project Safe Childhood efforts, information can be accessed through www.justice.gov/psc.