Published on October 15, 2026 10:38 am
Last Updated on October 15, 2026 10:38 am
BENTON, Ill. – A district judge sentenced a Johnston City man to 121 months’ imprisonment after he admitted to distributing child pornography.
Zachary R. Jones, 39, pleaded guilty to three counts of distribution of child pornography.
“Federal agents have tools to defeat VPNs and apps like Kik that are designed to make offenders feel anonymous while they distribute child pornography. Those who do so will face every applicable federal mandatory minimum prison sentence,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “Distributing those images re-victimizes the child every single time they are shared.”
According to court documents and information discussed during hearings, Jones admitted to exchanging CSAM with others online in June and August 2025. In total, he possessed nearly 70 videos and images of CSAM.
A cyber tip from NCMEC prompted an investigation into Jones. He attempted to conceal his identity online by using a VPN, but law enforcement was still able to track him down.
“Every image or video shared represents a child whose life has been impacted by exploitation, and the FBI never loses sight of that reality,” said FBI Springfield Field Office Special Agent in Charge Ryan Presley. “Our commitment is to those victims. We will continue to pursue offenders aggressively and ensure they are held accountable for the harm they inflict.”
Following imprisonment, Jones will serve 10 years of supervised release.
The FBI Springfield Field Office led the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Sanders prosecuted the case.
