ST. LOUIS – A Springfield, Missouri, man appeared in federal court in downtown St. Louis on Monday and admitted trying to have sex with an underage girl from Lincoln County.

Prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Eastern District of Missouri said Jonathan Mauser-Campbell, 29, drove from Springfield to Lincoln County on Dec. 2, 2022, to pick up the victim.

Mauser-Campbell told the court he planned to drive the victim to a campground to have sex with her.

After picking the girl up, Mauser-Campbell and the girl were driving through St. Charles County when police in Hawk Point conducted a traffic stop. Officers soon realized the girl was underage and had run away from home to be with Mauser-Campbell.

Police later searched Mauser-Campbell’s phone and discovered more than 300 images and videos containing child pornography.

Mauser-Campbell pleaded guilty to felony possession of child pornography. A sentencing date was not announced.