ST. LOUIS – After collecting child pornography for 19 years, a St. Charles man is facing up to 20 years in prison, according to the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri.
34-year-old Philip Daniel Shurtliff was reported through a tip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) for using Kik Messenger to send child pornography in March 2021.
Detectives connected Shurtliff to the Kik account and searched his home the following month, finding five videos on his cell phone. He said he obtained the videos and sent them to gain access to a group on the app.
The task force received another report from NCMEC concerning child sexual abuse material in 2023, leading them to Shurtliff’s home once again. Officers arrested him in relation to the 2021 report.
According to a release, Shurtliff told detectives he is a monster and has traded child pornography for approximately 19 years.
Detectives found nearly 100 photos and 27 videos involving child pornography on his phone.
A receipt of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison with a maximum sentence of up to 20 years. Shurtliff’s sentencing is scheduled for May 21.
