ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis County man appeared in U.S. District Court on Tuesday and admitted being caught with child sexual abuse material less than two weeks while under home confinement orders.

Prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri said John V. Knowles, 45, had previously been convicted in a 2018 possession case.

Upon his release from prison in that case, Knowles lived in a halfway house as part of supervised release. He was then allowed to live at his residence under home confinement on Sept. 1, 2023. Approximately 11 days later, probation officers visited Knowles’ residence and found numerous electronic devices, such as iPads, iPhones, and laptops. Knowles was prohibited from owning, possessing, or accessing such devices.

The officers searched the electronic devices and found child sexual abuse material.

Knowles admitted that he downloaded the illicit material way back in 2018, after police initially searched his home and seized computer equipment, but prior to his indictment in the original case.

Knowles pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography in this new case. He’ll be sentenced on Jan. 30, 2025. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.