CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. — A Doniphan man remains in federal custody after his recent arrest on an indictment charging him with possessing child pornography.
Dallas Wayne Wuesthoff, 44, appeared March 19 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Abbie Crites-Leoni for arraignment on his one-count indictment, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Koester.
The indictment alleges between Jan. 1, 2018, and Nov. 9 in Ripley County, Wuesthoff “knowingly possessed visual depictions of child pornography …”
The indictment further alleges Wuesthoff has a prior sexual-related conviction in that on Feb. 3, 1997, he pleaded guilty to the felony of second-degree statutory sodomy in Ripley County. He was sentenced on March 31, 1997.
According to the sex-offender registry on the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s website, Wuesthoff’s victim was a 4-year-old girl. He was 21 at the time of the offense on May 10, 1996, in Doniphan.
“During his arraignment, (Wuesthoff) waived the detention issue” and agreed to be held in federal custody during his case, Koester said.
Wuesthoff, he said, applied to have a federal public defender represent him.
“No future court date has been scheduled yet,” Koester said.
If convicted, Koester said, Wuesthoff faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years up to 20 years in federal prison.
Wuesthoff’s previous sexual-related conviction “significantly bumped up his range of punishment,” Koester said. “… Ordinarily, the maximum penalty is 10 years, but because of his prior conviction it enhances his range of punishment.”