Missouri man gets 35 years for child porn offenses

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) - A 60-year-old southwest Missouri man who admitted producing and possessing child pornography is going to prison.

The U.S. Attorney's office says Eldridge resident Steven Leslie Pepper was sentenced in federal court Tuesday to 35 years without parole. The sentence includes the maximum of 30 years for producing child porn, plus five years for possessing such material.

Pepper pleaded guilty to the charges in July. Prosecutors said he sexually abused a 5-year-old victim to create the pornography.

U.S. District Judge Richard Dorr also ordered Pepper to forfeit the digital camera he used to make pornography.