A Jefferson City man is facing multiple federal child pornography charges following an investigation sparked by a tip from Snapchat.
A federal grand jury indicted 33-year-old Nathan Robert Kent on three counts of production, two counts of distribution, and one count of possession of child pornography.
Investigators say a forensic review of Kent’s devices found he used Snapchat and encrypted apps to entice minor girls to create explicit images, and that he shared those files with others.
Authorities also report he had more than a thousand files of child sexual abuse material.
Kent could face up to 140 years in federal prison if convicted.
The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and was investigated by the Boone County Sheriff’s Office and Jefferson City Police.