Washington, Missouri Man Admits Recording Sexual Abuse of a Minor

ST. LOUIS - A man from Washington, Missouri on Wednesday admitted recording his sexual activity with a 14-year-old.

Todd Kelly, 37, pleaded guilty to one count of producing child pornography. He admitted making the recordings on his cell phone in June and July of 2023. The victim's father contacted authorities after learning about the relationship in August of 2023.

Kelly is scheduled to be sentenced July 28. The U.S. Attorney's office will recommend a prison sentence of 25 years.

The Warren County Sheriff's Department, the Franklin County Sheriff's Office and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Becker is prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.