Arkansas Man Sentenced To 30 Years In Federal Prison For Sexually Exploiting Minors

 Fort Smith, Arkansas – Duane (DAK) Kees, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that Austin McMahill, age 30, of Wideman, Arkansas, was sentenced today to 30 years in federal prison without the possibility of parole followed by five years of supervised release on one count each of Production of Child Pornography and Possession of Child Pornography. The Honorable Chief Judge P. K. Holmes, III presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fort Smith. 

According to court records, in September of 2017, the Arkansas State Police received a report that Austin McMahill made and distributed via Facebook a video portraying him and a minor female engaging in a sexually graphic act. During the ensuing investigation, law enforcement applied for and obtained a search warrant allowing for the seizure and analysis of McMahill’s cellular phone.  A subsequent forensic examination of the device revealed numerous videos and photographs of McMahill and the minor female engaged sexual activity. Per the forensic analysis, law enforcement was able to confirm that several images were taken when the minor female was fifteen-years of age. Law enforcement also located approximately 70 images depicting other minors, between 5 and 10 years of age engaging in various sex acts.  At sentencing, the Government presented the Court with evidence that McMahill had sexually abused and taken images of an approximately 5 year old female. 

McMahill was indicted in December 2017 on federal charges and plead guilty in April 2018.

This case was investigated by Arkansas State Police, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Northwest Arkansas Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce.  Assistant United States Attorney Dustin Roberts prosecuted the case for the United States.