Roger Strickland, 62, from Cherokee, Iowa, has pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of child pornography. This decision was reached on April 25, 2025, in a federal court located in Sioux City, Iowa.
The court hearing revealed that Strickland was involved in receiving and possessing child pornography from June 2022 through May 2023. On May 25, 2023, law enforcement agents conducted a search of Strickland's residence, confiscating various items of evidence. When agents inquired who at the home was responsible for downloading the illegal material, Strickland admitted, “It’s me.” Even as his devices were undergoing forensic analysis, law enforcement found that Strickland continued to receive and possess child pornography between August 2023 and February 2024. In total, over 225 videos and 8,000 images depicting child pornography were discovered, some involving sadistic or masochistic content, as well as images of prepubescent children, infants, and toddlers.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to address the increasing issue of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The program is led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section. More details are available at www.usdoj.gov/psc, which also provides resources regarding Internet safety.
Sentencing will be scheduled after a presentence report is compiled, with Judge Leonard T. Strand presiding. Strickland is currently held by the U.S. Marshals Service pending the sentencing hearing. He could face up to 20 years in prison for each count, a fine of $250,000, and a minimum of five years of supervised release after serving his sentence.