Photo: Getty Images
(Des Moines, IA) -- A West Des Moines man charged in a child pornography case has been sentenced to 60-years in prison. Investigators say 31-year old Jonathan Speidel used social media to convince girls to send him explicit photos and videos. He told the girls he was looking for models. The girls ranged in age from 8-to-17 and are located near Des Moines and across the country.
Investigators say Speidel used Snapchat, Kik, TikTock, and MeetMe to communicate with the girls, telling them to send him explicit photos and videos of themselves. Speidel misrepresented facts about himself, such as his name, employment information, and age; he paid children in exchange for sexually explicit content and he sent children child pornography or depictions of him masturbating.
Over the same period, Speidel collected and exchanged child pornography using various internet sites. On or about March 30, 2022, Speidel knowingly possessed visual depictions of child pornography, including over 800 images and over 200 videos, some of which included minors younger than twelve years old.
Investigators say Speidel also traveled over state lines with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a child. While living in Oregon from October 2018 to August 2019, Speidel engaged in a sexual relationship with a child, who was between 14 and 15 years old. Speidel was charged in Oregon with several counts of sexual abuse. Those charges remain pending.
Following his prison term, Speidel will be on supervised release for life and required to register as a sex offender. There is no parole in the federal system.
FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel said, “We are
proud of the work of our FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force in Des
Moines. This joint investigation brought an end to Jonathan Speidel’s appalling and heinous
crimes. Today’s sentence ensures Speidel will no longer be allowed to victimize children. It also
sends a message to predators, the FBI and our federal, state, and local partners will remain
relentless to ensure children are protected.”
Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Cyber Crime Bureau Special Agent in Charge,
and Iowa Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force Commander Nathaniel McLaren
said “This case highlights the collaboration of information between ICAC Task Force agencies
combating this type of child sexual exploitation. The DCI Cyber Crime Bureau - Iowa ICAC Task
Force worked closely alongside Ohio Law Enforcement, and Oregon (State) Law Enforcement to
arrest the suspect. This collaboration ultimately led to the identification of numerous victims
nationwide and multiple victims locally in the Des Moines area.”
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa said “Speidel
is a dangerous child predator, pure and simple. Today’s sentence provides some degree of justice
for Speidel’s actions to the victims, who in the face of indescribable trauma, have courageously
contributed to help prevent Speidel from harming any other minors. For over a decade, he
targeted, manipulated and enticed minors, exchanging thousands of electronic messages, with the
goal to produce child pornography and engage in illegal sex acts. Our thanks to the Iowa Division
of Criminal Investigation (DCI)’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the FBI Child
Exploitation Task Force and their continued dedication to protecting children and bringing
individuals like Speidel to justice.”