Sioux City, Iowa — A Spencer man has been sentenced to a little more than four years in federal prison on a charge of possession of child pornography.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Sioux City tells us that 42-year-old Leighton Jones pleaded guilty to the charge in August, 2023 and was sentenced Thursday in U.S. District Court in Sioux City.
They tell us that evidence showed that between January 1st, 2012 and December 7th, 2017, Jones possessed over 1,500 images of child pornography that was copied across six different electronic devices. He admitted to law enforcement that he had downloaded the material in about 2012. Jones stated he had no interest in it but kept the child pornography because it was “different,” and he “knew he would not be able to get it again if he deleted it.”
In addition to the prison term, Jones was also ordered to pay $14,000 in restitution to several victims and must also serve a five-year term of supervised release following the prison term.
Jones is being held in the custody of a U.S. Marshal pending transport to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Spencer Police Department.
