A former Iowa State student has been apprehended in Kansas as a result of a lengthy investigation that uncovered thousands of files of alleged child pornography.
Jacob Sauer, 21, of Olathe, Kansas, was arrested for allegedly uploading child sexual exploitation material to social media accounts in February 2024, according to an Iowa State news release. Sauer was allegedly sending and receiving child sexual abuse material during his time in Ames.
A March 2024 search warrant allegedly found more than 4,000 hidden photos and more than 700 videos on a variety of electronic devices in Sauer’s home, the vast majority of which were “pornographic in nature,” according to court documents.
Sauer was arrested on Tuesday, May 27 in Kansas and charged with sexual exploitation of a minor, eight counts of possession of depictions of minors engaged in sex acts, and possession of a controlled substance.
Sauer is being held in Kansas and is awaiting extradition back to Iowa.
Suspect identified in February 2024
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) notified Kansas law enforcement in the spring of 2023 of an individual suspected of uploading child sexual exploitation material to social media accounts. The Olathe Police Department was able to identify Sauer, an Iowa State student at the time, who also had a residence in Kansas.
A Johnson County Sheriff’s Office arrest warrant in Kansas notes that authorities uncovered at least 10 instances of Sauer allegedly in possession of pictures of a child under the age of 18 that were “shown or heard engaging in sexually explicit conduct.”
The Olathe Police Department informed the Iowa State University Police Department of their investigation in March 2023. Iowa State University Police detectives subsequently initiated a local investigation that spanned more than a year.
Search identified ‘hidden’ photos and videos
Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Sauer’s Ames residence on Lincoln Way in March 2024, according to court documents. Sauer was inside and was placed under arrest for 10 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor.
Authorities seized 11 electronic devices during the search, which included four iPhones, two iPads, a Macbook and a hard drive.
More than 4,000 photos and 700 videos were found in a “Hidden” folder on Sauer’s phone. According to court documents, many of the photos and videos depicted “prepubescent and pubescent male and female children either posed in a lascivious manner or engaged in sex acts.”
A screenshot from Jan. 19, 2024, caught a detective’s eye, according to court documents, which read in large, orange-highlighted “2.4TB Private Video Link for Torrent Client.” The screenshot included directions to “open in an anonymous browser,” and several of the keywords or descriptors included sexual exploitation and abuse of minors.
Sauer is no longer an Iowa State student. The Tribune was unable to confirm with the university whether Sauer withdrew on his own or if the university took action.
Celia Brocker is a government, crime, political and education reporter for the Ames Tribune. She can be reached at CBrocker@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Ex-ISU student allegedly stored and disturbed thousands of child porn videos and photos
Reporting by Celia Brocker, Ames Tribune / Ames Tribune
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