Show-Me State Times

A registered sex offender from southeast Missouri has admitted to being found with child sexual abuse material once again. Thomas O. Stroud Jr., aged 43, from Wappapello, Missouri, pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau to possessing child pornography.

Court documents reveal that Stroud had a previous federal conviction for the same offense in 2009. After serving his time in federal prison, he was required to register as a sex offender and was placed on a 40-year term of supervised release. In March, while still under supervision, Stroud's probation officer discovered his use of a cell phone to communicate with an individual in Indiana. Through these communications, he acquired several images of child pornography.

At the plea hearing on Tuesday, Stroud confessed to using a cell phone to obtain such images from the contact in Indiana.

Stroud's sentencing is set for February 25, 2025. He faces a minimum sentence of 10 years and could receive up to 20 years for this new offense. Additionally, he may be sentenced up to 24 months for violating the terms of his supervised release.

The investigation into this case was conducted by the United States Probation Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution is led by Assistant United States Attorney Jack Koester.