Eighteen-year sentence recommended for Joplin man guilty of sexual exploitation of a child, child porn charges

The government is recommending an 18-year sentence for Kaleb Wilson, 28, Joplin, who pleaded guilty in July to charges of sexual exploitation of a minor and receiving and distributing child pornography and it won't receive any argument from Wilson.

A sentencing memorandum filed today in U. S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri asked for Wilson to serve two 18-year sentences concurrently and then be placed on supervised probation for 20 years following the completion of his sentence- the sentence agreed to by Wilson as part of a plea bargain.







Wilson's attorney filed a sentencing memorandum earlier asking for the 18-year sentences and the probation period and revealed how Wilson plans to spend his time in prison:

Mr. Wilson plans to use the time in prison to better himself. He is asking the Court to recommend the following: 

(1) the Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP); 

(2) the Federal Prison Industries Program (“UNICOR”); and 

(3) the Occupational Education Program. 

The nature and circumstances of the offense. Mr. Wilson entered a plea of guilty, to a two count Indictment. The offense is detailed in the Presentence Investigation Report (PSI). 

By entering his plea of guilty, Mr. Wilson takes full responsibility for, and has shown true contrition and remorse for, his conduct. Mr. Wilson’s history and characteristics. Mr. Wilson is 28 years of age. His criminal history score is zero and his Criminal History Category I. He has absolutely no juvenile or adult criminal history. 

Mr. Wilson graduated from Joplin High School. In the 4th grade, Mr. Wilson qualified for the gifted program. Mr. Wilson has both the ability and the desire to use the term of imprisonment to better himself so that when he is released from prison, he can return to being a productive member of society. A sentence of 18 years will be sufficient time for him to do so.

Wilson's crimes were described in an October 12 news release from the U. S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri:

According to an affidavit filed in support of today’s federal criminal complaint, Instagram submitted a CyberTipline report on May 5, 2017, to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The report indicated that an Instagram user, later identified as Wilson, had uploaded multiple images of child pornography between March 21 and March 26, 2017.

Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Wilson’s residence on April 2, 2018, and seized several electronic items, which are pending forensic examination.

On Aug. 14, 2018, a detective with the Vancouver, Wash., Police Department contacted the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force and requested assistance in a separate investigation of Wilson. The Vancouver investigation was launched when a resident of that jurisdiction reported that her minor child had been exchanging sexually explicit messages and images with an adult male, later identified as Wilson.

Wilson allegedly communicated with the minor victim via the social media application Kik. According to the affidavit, Wilson and the child victim communicated and exchanged pornographic photos with each other from December 2016 through Aug. 8, 2018.