Jonathan Wagner, a 27-year-old resident of Kearney, Nebraska, was sentenced on April 23 in federal court in Lincoln for transporting child pornography. United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis ordered Wagner to serve 78 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release and payment of $3,000 in restitution.
Wagner’s sentencing comes after law enforcement discovered he was uploading files containing child pornography online. A federal search warrant led investigators to one of Wagner’s online accounts containing dozens of images and videos depicting child pornography as well as hundreds more classified as child erotica or age difficult files. Authorities executed another search warrant at his residence on March 29, 2024, seizing devices that contained over a thousand images and more than fifteen thousand additional files related to the case. His cell phone browser history also indicated access to illegal content.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse through coordinated efforts among federal, state and local agencies. The project seeks not only to apprehend offenders but also identify and rescue victims nationwide.
The U.S. Attorney for the District of Nebraska advances community well-being through coordinated law enforcement efforts that safeguard residents, according to the official website. The office uses facilities in both Omaha’s federal courthouse and Lincoln’s federal building according to its official website. It is part of the U.S. Department of Justice according to its official website.
The office prosecutes federal crimes and handles civil cases for the U.S. government while working with law enforcement agencies across Nebraska according to its official website. Its jurisdiction covers the entire state according to its official website, collaborating with multiple levels of law enforcement agencies for public safety according to its official website. The office operates out of Omaha and Lincoln locations housed within federal buildings; it traces its origins back to federal legislation establishing these roles according to its official website.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted this investigation.
