ST. LOUIS – A former Phelps County Sheriff's deputy, Justin Bradley Durham, has been sentenced to 65 years in prison for child sex crimes. U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp handed down the sentence on Monday, along with an order for Durham to pay $79,160 in restitution to the victims. Durham had previously pleaded guilty to charges including the production and receipt of child pornography, and destroying records in a federal investigation.
The case involved criminal activities dating back to 2013 when Durham admitted to soliciting a sexually explicit video from a 15-year-old. He also engaged in multiple sex acts with a 17-year-old, exchanging sexually explicit images with her. An investigation in 2023 revealed Durham's PayPal account was linked to transactions for child pornography, leading to further actions including destruction of digital evidence.
"Justin Durham avoided detection by exploiting what he knew about law enforcement. He often targeted vulnerable victims, some of whom suffered from mental health issues, poverty, or sexual abuse,” said Special Agent Ashley Johnson of the FBI St. Louis Division. The FBI praised the bravery of the victims who assisted in bringing the case forward.
Sheriff Michael P. Kirn emphasized the importance of maintaining public trust through accountability and transparency. “The actions of individuals like Justin Durham are not representative of our dedicated law enforcement community. We will continue to ensure that justice is served and that ethical standards are upheld," Kirn stated.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Bateman, who filed a sentencing memo, revealed additional details of Durham's misconduct, including sending sexual letters to inmates and soliciting explicit images from a woman on parole.
The investigation was led by the FBI, in collaboration with the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Project Safe Childhood, an initiative by the Department of Justice to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse, supported the case. For further information, the public can visit www.justice.gov/psc.