SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — A Springfield man was sentenced in federal court Oct. 18 for the sexual exploitation of a child after a joint investigation with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Kansas City.
Ricky Lane Bowers, 27, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark to 17 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Bowers to 20 years of supervised release following incarceration.
“The sentencing of Ricky Bowers marks a significant step in our ongoing commitment to protect the innocent members of our community. His actions were abhorrent, and today's verdict ensures that he will face the full consequences of his crimes,” said HSI Kansas City Special Agent in Charge Mark Zito. “We remain steadfast in our dedication to pursuing justice for victims of exploitation and abuse. Working closely with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to investigate these crimes together and tirelessly strive to prevent such heinous acts from occurring in the future.”
On July 25, 2023, Bowers pleaded guilty to the sexual exploitation of a minor. Bowers admitted that he had been in contact with a man who was arrested in Texas, who had sent Bowers images and videos of child sexual abuse. Bowers also admitted that he had taken pornographic photos of a child victim and sent them to the man in Texas. Investigators seized Bowers’s cellphone, which he used to communicate with the Texas defendant. Forensic examiners found files of child sexual abuse on the phone, as well as evidence of images and videos of the child victim whom Bowers used to produce child sexual abuse material.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by HSI Springfield, the Greene County Sheriff’s Department, the Springfield Police Department and the Southwest Missouri Cybercrimes Task Force.
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. Led by the U.S. attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.
Together with partners in law enforcement, state and local government, international counterparts and nongovernmental organizations, the HSI workforce does heroic work to prevent these crimes, support those who are impacted by them, and hold perpetrators accountable.
HSI offers multiple options for virtual and in-person trainings to educate the public about the growing threats children and teens face online.
Learn more about HSI Kansas City’s mission to eradicate child exploitation on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @HSIKansasCity.