A former high school custodian in St. Louis has admitted to possession of child sexual abuse material. Bernard Ray Mennemeier, aged 58, from O'Fallon, Missouri, pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court to one count of possession of child pornography, including both child pornography and child erotica.
The case began when Mennemeier uploaded five videos containing such material to Dropbox on January 2, 2024. An FBI agent traced the Dropbox account back to Mennemeier. Following a court-approved search of the account and Mennemeier’s residence, he admitted to the O’Fallon Police Department that he had been purchasing this material. "Numerous" transactions of this nature were detailed in his plea agreement.
Mennemeier’s sentencing is set for July 9, and he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
“This crime came to light thanks to a CyberTip reported to our partners at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Bernard Mennemeier thought he could anonymously obtain and possess child sexual abuse material,” said Special Agent in Charge Ashley Johnson of the FBI St. Louis Division. "When it comes to protecting children, the FBI is even more diligent in identify, locating, and arresting such perpetrators."
The investigation was conducted by the FBI as part of Project Safe Childhood. This initiative, launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006, aims to address the growing problem of child sexual exploitation and abuse. It draws on resources from federal, state, and local entities to prosecute offenders and rescue victims. Additional information about the initiative is available at www.justice.gov/psc.