KC Reporter

A Jefferson City resident, Wilbert Ballard, aged 34, received a sentence of 15 years in federal prison without the possibility of parole. U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes delivered the sentence on April 8, 2025. Post-incarceration, Ballard will undergo 15 years of supervised release. As per the court, he will also have lifetime registration requirements as a sex offender, adhering to federal and state guidelines.

Ballard's conviction follows his guilty plea on December 3, 2024, to charges involving the production of child pornography. The case traces back to June 11, 2023, initiated by a report to Jefferson City Police. A witness provided video evidence showing Ballard's engagement in sexually explicit acts with a six-year-old child. Police verified the account by extracting and analyzing data from Ballard's cell phone, where they found the video in question.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Turner led the prosecution of this case with investigation support from the Jefferson City Police Department.

This legal action is a part of Project Safe Childhood, a United States Department of Justice effort initiated in May 2006. The project addresses child sexual exploitation through collaboration across various governmental levels, aiming to prosecute offenders and provide safety to victims. Further information on Project Safe Childhood and Internet safety can be found at www.usdoj.gov/psc.