Government recommends 50-year sentence for Joplin man on child pornography charge

In a sentencing memo filed today in U. S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri, the government asked for a 50-year sentence for Russell Myers, 44, Joplin, who pleaded guilty to September 26 to child pornography charges.

Myers' sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 8 in Springfield.

After Myers serves his 50-year sentence, the government asked that he then be placed on lifetime supervision.

Myers' crimes were detailed in the memorandum.

On February 6, 2024, Cyber Tipline Report (CTR) # 186573294 was transmitted to law enforcement by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). The CTR was generated by MeetMe.com on February 6, 2024, after chat history detailing possible child molestation was discovered on their platform. The CTR included the chat history between the defendant, Russell Myers, and another individual. 

During the exchange of messages, the defendant transmitted messages stating that he wanted to engage in sexual intercourse with a particular child, that he performs sexually explicit acts upon the child “almost daily,” and that the last such incident was “2 weekends ago.” 

In other messages contained in the CTR, the defendant advised other users that he liked young children and inferred that he was engaged in sexual contact with a boy and girl.

A Department of Homeland Security forensic investigator interviewed the two children, an 11-year-old girl and a 9-year-old boy who described acts that Myers forced them to perform on him. A computer forensic examiner found more than 100 image and video files containing child pornography.

Sexually explicit videos depicting the two children were discovered during the search.

In its argument for a lengthy sentence for Myers, the government noted that he abused children for years and bragged about the abuse.

Myers also had a previous history of crimes against children, the memorandum said.

The defendant has prior conviction for domestic battery and resisting a peace officer. More disturbingly, the defendant was charged with sexual battery of a five-year old child, and later was investigated for sexually assaulting three other minors. The defendant also indicated in messages recovered during the investigation that he had previously sexually assaulted other children.

The defendant presents a clear and ongoing danger to the community. The defendant has subjected at least two children to unimaginable injury. These children deserve certainty that the defendant will never have the opportunity to harm them or other children ever again.