News Releases

Iowa man indicted on child pornography charges

SPENCER, Iowa - A local man has been charged with one count of receiving child pornography and four counts of possessing child pornography as outlined in an indictment in United States District Court in Sioux City. This investigation was led by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Justin Funck, 26, of Spencer, Iowa, appeared on Nov. 23 in federal court in Sioux City and was held without bond. Funck's next appearance for trial is set for Jan. 3, 2011.
The indictment alleges that, between October 2008 and May 2009, Funck, knowingly received and possessed images of child pornography.

If convicted on all charges, Funck faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years imprisonment and a maximum sentence of 60 years imprisonment, $1,250,000 in fines, $500 in special assessments, and at least five years and up to life on supervised release following any prison term imposed.

ICE HSI was assisted in the investigation by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

This investigation is part of Operation Predator, a nationwide ICE initiative to protect children from sexual predators, including those who travel overseas for sex with minors, Internet child pornographers, criminal alien sex offenders, and child sex traffickers.

ICE encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2ICE. This hotline is staffed around the clock by investigators.