Joplin man pleads not guilty to child pornography charges

A Joplin man who allegedly molested a seven-year-old boy and showed child pornography to the boy and another child pleaded not guilty this morning during his initial appearance in U. S. District Court in Springfield.

David Pierce, 51, is being held without bond in the Greene County Jail.







The initial arrested occurred following a Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force and Joplin Police Department investigation, which started after a hotline complaint was made about a seven-year-old boy's inappropriate actions at school.

The probable cause affidavit alleges Pierce, who was staying at the home of a Joplin woman, showed child pornography to two underage boys and fondled one of them.

After executing a search warrant for Pierce's phone, investigators found 1,217 child pornography images, according to the affidavit.