ST. LOUIS – A registered sex offender from Florissant, Missouri, appeared in federal court on Wednesday and admitted to having child sexual abuse material (CSAM) in his possession.

Prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri said Christopher A. Wheetley, 42, had 470 images and one video of confirmed CSAM on his computer. Wheetley also had internet searches consistent with an interest in CSAM.

His computer also contained 1,081 images and four videos featuring children whose ages could not be determined.

A St. Louis County police detective was conducting an online “peer-to-peer” investigation on Sept. 12, 2023, when they discovered CSAM linked to an IP address that was later traced to Wheetley’s home.

In November 2020, Wheetley’s home was the subject of an investigation after authorities received a cyber tip that 40 files containing child porn had been uploaded to Kik the month prior, from an IP address belonging to Wheetley.

Now, the day before that tip was received, Wheetley was in Pomona, California, where he pleaded no contest to one count of possession of child pornography. When St. Louis County detectives arrived at Wheetley’s Florissant home to question him, Wheetley’s was in California, finishing the remainder of his probation for the no contest conviction.

Wheetley pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count of receipt of child pornography. He’s scheduled to be sentenced on July 17.

Because Wheetley was previously convicted of distributing child porn, he faces a minimum of 15 years in federal prison. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and Wheetley’s attorney will recommend he get a 15-year sentence, though the judge is under no obligation to commit to that.