HOUSTON WADE YOUNG | Missouri Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a Child While in Vernon County Jail | His Wife Sent Him Pornographic Images Of A Seven-Year-Old Boy | ALS

Houston Young. Autographed Letter, Signed. Handwritten, Commercial #10 (4.125 × 9.5 envelope). Phoenix, MD. October 8, 2024. Content unknown. SEALED.

Houston Wade Young

Background and Criminal History

Houston Wade Young, born on March 29, 1987, is a convicted sexual predator who has been involved in multiple criminal activities related to the sexual exploitation of children. His criminal history includes two prior felony convictions: one for child molestation in Wright County, Missouri, in 2005, and another for possessing child pornography in Jackson County, Missouri, in 2016.

Recent Conviction and Sentencing

On January 30, 2024, Houston Young pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a minor. Subsequently, he was sentenced to life in federal prison without parole by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough. This sentence was handed down while he was an inmate at the Vernon County jail in Missouri.

Details of the Offense

While detained at the Vernon County jail pending a civil proceeding to determine his status as a sexually violent predator, Houston Young was found with a cell phone containing images of child pornography. Investigations revealed that his wife, Jessica Ann Young, had sent him pornographic images of a seven-year-old child (referred to as “John Doe 1” in court documents). Text messages between Houston and Jessica Young discussed the sexual abuse of John Doe 1. Jessica also admitted to sexually abusing another child victim (“John Doe 2”) and recording video footage of this abuse.

Further forensic analysis showed that Houston Young sent images of child pornography to Jessica Young and engaged with a third victim (“Jane Doe”), whom he met through an online game chat room. He solicited pornographic images from Jane Doe and engaged in inappropriate conversations with her.

Legal Proceedings Involving Co-Defendant

Jessica Ann Young pleaded guilty on March 11, 2024, to two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and awaits sentencing. She admitted to abusing both John Doe 1 and John Doe 2 on multiple occasions.

Involvement with Project Safe Childhood

This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative by the Department of Justice aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse nationwide. The project involves collaboration among federal, state, and local resources to prosecute offenders like Houston Wade Young.

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