Charles R. Hamilton, a 66-year-old sex offender from Chesterfield, Missouri, has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for possessing child pornography. The conviction came after a May 2023 investigation revealed Hamilton's Kik social media account was being used to distribute child sexual abuse material. Law enforcement officials in Alabama, who launched the probe, were able to trace the account back to Hamilton, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Missouri.

On May 25, 2023, when investigators interviewed Hamilton about the Kik account linked to his name, he agreed to quickly allow a search of his phone. This search turned up numerous illicit image and video files, including 1,288 image files and 185 video files containing abuse material. A subsequent forensic examination brought to light that Hamilton used not only Kik but also Instagram and Telegram accounts to both receive and disseminate child pornography, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office .

In August, facing undeniable evidence, Hamilton pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. The case was brought to a close as U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Clark handed down the 14-year sentence yesterday. The investigation into Hamilton's activities was a combined effort by the FBI, the St. Louis County Police Department, and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s State Bureau of Investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Hayes, who prosecuted the case, underlined the seriousness of the crime. Crimes like these victimize the most vulnerable members of our society, Hayes stated, emphasizing the commitment of law enforcement to track and to bring to justice those who engage in the distribution and possession of child exploitation material.