Evergreen Reporter

A registered sex offender from Farmington, Missouri, Stephen Curtis Mincey Watters, admitted in a St. Louis court to possessing child sexual abuse material and sending it to his girlfriend's father. Watters, 39, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography as a prior offender. He confessed to sending four images containing such material via Facebook on August 3, 2023. This act led to a report being made to law enforcement by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Investigators from the Missouri State Highway Patrol conducted a search of Watters' home on September 28, 2023. During the investigation, Watters acknowledged searching for and viewing child pornography. They also found communications between Watters and Brandel Lee Akers, his girlfriend's father.

Akers informed investigators that he had been receiving child sexual abuse material from Watters for about a year through text messages and Facebook. As part of his plea agreement, Akers was sentenced to five years in prison after admitting guilt to one count of possession of child pornography.

Watters is set for sentencing on May 7, with the U.S. Attorney’s Office recommending a sentence of 12 years in prison.

The investigation was carried out by the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Missouri State Technical Assistance Team. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson is handling the prosecution.

This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse through coordinated efforts among federal, state, and local resources.

For further information regarding Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.