Two Arrested for Child Pornography

(St. Francois County, MO) Officers with the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control announce the arrest of 38 year old Stephen C. Watters, of Farmington, and 50 year old Brandel L. Akers, of Ironton, on charges of possession of child pornography. Watters and Akers were arrested September 28th following an investigation by the Division of Drug and Crime Control’s Digital Forensics Investigative Unit. Investigators executed a search warrant at Watters’ residence in Farmington last Thursday as part of the ongoing investigation generated by a social media cyber tip. Watters admitted to using his computer to search for, and download, child pornography and also admitted to sending digital images of child pornography to Akers. Investigators contacted Akers who admitted to receiving and possessing the images sent to him by Watters. A consent search of Akers cellular telephone revealed the digital images. Watters is charged with three counts of possession of child pornography and three counts of promoting child pornography. Akers is facing three counts of possession of child pornography. The two are being held in the St. Francois County Jail on a $200,000 bond.