Sikeston man faces pornography possession charges

BENTON, Mo. - A Sikeston man faces charges of possession of child pornography.

Zachary A. Johnson, 28, is charged with 10 counts of possessing child pornography, a class B felony. He is being held in the Scott County Jail in lieu of a $150,000 cash-only bond.

According to a news release from Scott County Prosecutor Paul R. Boyd, Johnson was in possession of child pornography on March 25 when officers served a search warrant at his home on Missouri Avenue. The investigation began on evidence from Columbia, according to the prosecutor.

During their search, officers seized numerous items including computers, hard drives and digital media storage devices. According to the probable cause affidavit from Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. W.T. Cooper, over 500 images and nine videos depicting child pornography were found after one computer hard drive was forensically scanned.

"The remaining items of evidence seized during the search warrant have not been forensically scanned based on the sheer volume of time it takes to perform the searches," Cooper said. "The items remain in evidence if needed in the future."

Boyd asked that anyone who has any information about who has had contact with Johnson or who has had pictures taken by Johnson of their family or child to contact Cooper or Sgt. Scott Stoelting with the Missouri State Highway Patrol at 573-472-5200, extension 2224.

The charge of possession of child pornography carries a sentence of five to 15 years in the Department of Corrections.