Ex-Blue Springs High School employee gets 22 years for producing, sharing child porn
A former Blue Springs High School employee has been sentenced to 22 years in federal prison for producing and distributing child pornography, prosecutors said Wednesday.
Steven B. Allen, 46, of Independence, was handed the prison term on Wednesday morning in the Western District of Missouri and ordered to pay fines as restitution for the victims. Another part of Allen’s sentence is to remain on supervised release for the rest of his life once his prison term is complete.
Allen was arrested on the charges in November 2019 after investigators discovered thousands of images and videos on his personal electronic devices. He pleaded guilty in May to two counts of producing child pornography and one count of sharing the illicit images over the internet.
During the investigation, Allen communicated with an undercover officer in the United Kingdom who was posing as the father of a 10-year-old girl. During the course of their correspondence, court records said, Allen sent images of a minor and openly fantasized about sexually abusing a child.
Allen later admitted to sharing child pornography over the internet every couple of days over the course of five or six years.
While executing a search warrant at his home, investigators took as evidence more than 9,200 images and 89 videos showing child pornography. Some of the images showed infants and toddlers being sexually assaulted. Others showed violent sexual acts and bestiality.
Allen was working as a paraprofessional with Blue Springs High School when the crimes were committed, according to prosecutors.
The school district did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
As part of his sentence, Allen was also ordered to pay between $33,000 and $55,000 to the 11 victims seeking restitution. He may pay the lower amount if he does so within 30 days under the court’s sentencing order.
