Sioux City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession of Child Pornography

Priest Morris, 21, from Sioux City, Iowa, was sentenced on September 12, 2025, to over 5 years' imprisonment, in federal court in Sioux City. Morris pled guilty May 1, 2025, to possession of child pornography.

Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings, showed that from January 2024, through August 2024, Morris used the Discord, Twitter, Telegram, and Snapchat applications to receive, distribute, and possess visual depictions of child pornography including materials involving a prepubescent minor or minor under the age of 12. The Sioux City Police Department received two CyberTips about a Snapchat account uploading child pornography. Law enforcement connected the account back to Morris. During the execution of a search warrant on Morris' electronics, Morris admitted he received and possessed child pornography, and it would be located on his phone and iPad. Forensic analysis of his electronics showed that Morris possessed over 1,500 images and 6 videos of child pornography including materials that portrayed sadistic or masochistic conduct as well as infants and toddlers.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006, by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit https://www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."

Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Morris was sentenced to 66 months' imprisonment and was ordered to pay $6,000 in restitution to the child victims. Morris must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Morris remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was investigated by the Sioux City Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 24-4086. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.