CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. — A Kentucky man was sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty to attempting to distribute child pornography to a local undercover officer.
According to the United State’s Attorney’s Office, Frankie J. Pearl, 47 of Owensboro, Ky., was sentenced to 210 months in federal prison Monday at his sentencing hearing that followed his guilty plea earlier this year.
According to court documents, Pearl used a social media application to locate individuals interested in exchanging child pornography. During an online investigation last April, a detective working in an undercover capacity began communicating with Pearl. Over the course of about two weeks, Pearl sent the undercover detective numerous child pornography files through his e-mail account. The undercover detective then made arrangements to meet Pearl in person at a restaurant parking lot in Sikeston.
On April 20, Pearl arrived at the meeting location and was immediately placed under arrest. Among other things, Pearl was found to be in possession of a micro SD card containing a large volume of child pornography. At his guilty plea hearing last July, Pearl admitted that he intended to deliver the child pornography to the undercover detective.
After serving his 210-month sentence, Pearl will be placed on supervised release for a period of 15 years. Among other conditions, Pearl will not be allowed to have contact with minors and will also be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Saint Louis Police Department and Scott County Sheriff’s Office.