Federal Grand Jury indicts Springfield man on child porn charge

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) - A Federal Grand Jury has indicted a Springfield man for possession of child pornography.

Federal court documents show 56-year-old Craig Rhoden has been indicted on receipt and distribution of child porn. The federal indictment shows Rhoden received and distributed porn between May 2021 and December 2022.

Rhoden is facing other related charges in Greene County.

According to a probable cause statement, in May 2022, an investigator with the Springfield Police Department received multiple cyber tips. Yahoo had flagged three different emails being used to upload several hundred images and/or videos containing possible child sexual abuse material.

Authorities were able to link these accounts to Craig Rhoden. Authorities say some of the images contained children as young as a few days old, and there were also images found of adults performing sexual acts with infants.

According to court records, authorities found online folders containing “upskirt pictures of children at Walmart.” Authorities note that when searching the various email addresses from Rhoden, they found he received paychecks from Walmart. Rhoden told investigators he worked at the Walmart at 2825 N. Kansas Expressway.

In January 2023, authorities conducted a search warrant at Rhoden’s home and arrested him. He told investigators that the multiple emails used were his. After being asked by authorities how many images they would find on his devices, Rhoden said they would likely find thousands of pictures and videos of child porn.

Rhoden told authorities he “was not necessarily attracted to children, but was excited about child pornography because it was taboo.”

Rhoden is scheduled to be in court in Springfield again later this month.

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