Cherokee, Iowa, Man to Federal Prison for Possession of Child Pornography

Roger Strickland, age 62, from Cherokee, Iowa, was sentenced September 9, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City, Iowa, to over 5 years in prison. Strickland pled guilty on April 25, 2025, to two counts of possessing child pornography.

Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that from June 2022, through May 2023, Strickland received and possessed child pornography. Agents searched Strickland's home on May 25, 2023, and seized several pieces of evidence. Agents asked to speak to whomever at the home was downloading child pornography and Strickland replied, "It's me." Then, while agents were awaiting results of the forensic analysis of Strickland's electronic devices, law enforcement was again notified Strickland was receiving and possessing child pornography. Strickland admitted that between August 2023, through February 2024, Strickland received and possessed more child pornography even while knowing he was actively being investigated. In total, over 225 videos and 8,000 images of child pornography were discovered on his electronic devices. Strickland further admitted that the images and videos involved material portraying sadistic or masochistic conduct as well as prepubescent children, 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. Strickland was sentenced to 63 months' imprisonment and must serve a 5-year term of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Strickland was also ordered to pay $39,000 in restitution to the child victims in the case. Strickland remains in custody of the U.S. Marshals Service until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and the Cherokee 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 CR24-4067. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.