DAVENPORT, Iowa – On November 12, 2019, the Honorable Michael J. Melloy, Senior United States Circuit Judge for the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, sentenced Marcus Henry Benjamin, 28, of Iowa City, Iowa, to 90 months in prison for receiving child pornography, announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. Benjamin was also ordered to serve 6 years of supervised release following his imprisonment, pay $100 to the Crime Victims’ Fund, pay $5,000 in restitution, and comply with the sex offender registry requirements upon release.

On June 21, 2019, Benjamin pleaded guilty to one count of receiving child pornography. The investigation began in 2018 when FBI agents discovered sexually explicit posts on a social media discussion website. The investigation led agents to identify Benjamin and his residence, and a search resulted in agents seizing twelve electronic devices. The forensic evaluation of the electronic devices revealed that Benjamin collected child pornography for more than four years, amassing a collection of over 1200 images plus videos.

This matter was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation and National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), and the case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.