KC Reporter

A Jefferson City, Mo., man who is a registered sex offender was indicted by a federal grand jury today on charges related to child pornography.

Howard Dale Speckhals, 61, was charged in a two-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Jefferson City.

Today’s indictment alleges that Speckhals distributed child pornography over the internet from June 25, 2023, to March 22, 2024. Speckhals is also charged with possessing child pornography on June 20, 2024.

Speckhals has a prior conviction for sexual misconduct in the first degree.

The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley S. Turner. It was investigated by the Boone County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.

Project Safe Childhood

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."