SIOUX CITY – This Northern Iowa man threw his iPhone in the closet as cops closed in, hoping they would never find the despicable electronic images he perused for his enjoyment, and now prison awaits.
Paul William Flett (pictured at top), age 44, from Humboldt, Iowa, pled guilty January 23, 2025, to one count to sexual exploitation of a child in federal court in Sioux City, Iowa.
In a plea agreement, Flett admitted he sent links and images of child pornography to underage girls and asked them to send images and videos of themselves to him. On June 6, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Flett’s home and in a consensual interview Flett admitted he threw his phone in a closet when law enforcement showed up because he knew they were there for him. Forensic analysis of Flett’s iPhone 12, computer, and Kik account discovered a total of 16 videos and 60 images of child pornography. The images and videos contained material that portrayed sadistic or masochistic conduct, as well as prepubescent children, infants, and toddlers.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Flett was taken into custody by the United States Marshal after the guilty plea and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Flett faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any imprisonment of 5 years to life.
The case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Cyber-Crime Unit, and Webster County Sheriff’s Office in Missouri and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.