Storm Lake man convicted of receiving child pornography

SIOUX CITY – A Northern Iowa man who received child pornography – including images of the sexual abuse and exploitation of infants and toddlers – pled guilty March 4, 2019, in federal court in Sioux City.

James Gailey, 49, from Storm Lake, Iowa, was convicted of one count of receipt of child pornography.

At the plea hearing, Gailey admitted that in October 2017 he utilized a Dropbox account to receive child pornography. Gailey further admitted that in January 2018 he utilized a second Dropbox account to receive child pornography. Gailey also admitted that he received images and videos of sexual abuse or exploitation of victims as young as infants or toddlers.

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Gailey was taken into custody by the United States Marshal after the guilty plea and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Gailey faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.