Iowa man sentenced for harassing Callaway County teen online

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

A southern Iowa man was sentenced Monday to 15 years in federal prison after he admitted to harassing a Callaway County teenager online and trying to create child pornography.

A U.S. district judge in Jefferson City sentenced David J. Dodds, 61, of Corydon, Iowa, adding 10 years of supervised release after his 15-year prison term. Dodds pleaded guilty last September to a single count of attempting to produce child pornography.

Dodds has been in federal custody since his arrest, according to a U.S. attorney's news release. He is a previously convicted sex offender.

Dodds admitted to contacting the girl on Instagram when she was 13, the release says. He posed as a teenage boy. The communication continued until her father contacted the Callaway County Sheriff's Office when the girl was 18.

Dodds sent the girl pornographic pictures of himself and asked her to send him pictures, the U.S. attorney says. He also admitted to having similar conversations with other girls.

The girl tried to cut off communication but Dodds threatened her, according to the release.