CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — A joint investigation by the Dubuque Police Department and the U.S. Secret Service led to a 14-year federal prison sentence for a Dubuque man who admitted to distributing child pornography online .

Jonathan Reed Snow, 26, was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams in Cedar Rapids. In addition to his prison term, Snow must serve 10 years of supervised release and pay $24,000 in restitution to victims .

Agencies Involved

The case was investigated by two primary agencies:

· Dubuque Police Department
· United States Secret Service

Federal prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa handled the prosecution, with Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake leading the case . The U.S. Marshals Service took custody of Snow following sentencing to transport him to a federal prison .

The Investigation

Law enforcement officers searched Snow’s home in August 2024 and seized electronic devices. The investigation revealed that between September 2023 and August 2024, Snow used Discord accounts and other online platforms to distribute, receive, and possess child pornography .

Court documents show Snow traded the illegal material with others online. In total, he possessed more than 1,000 images and videos depicting child sexual abuse material, including content involving prepubescent children and sadistic or masochistic conduct .

Guilty Plea

Snow pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography on September 24, 2025 . During his plea hearing, he admitted to using the internet to share visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct .

Project Safe Childhood

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative launched in May 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. The program marshals federal, state, and local resources to prosecute individuals who exploit children and to identify and rescue victims .

Sentence Details

There is no parole in the federal prison system. Snow faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 20 years for the charge, along with potential fines and special assessments .

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