Jefferson City man pleads guilty to child sex crime

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Jefferson City man faces life in prison after pleading guilty to a child sex crime.

Ryan Swillum, 25, of Jefferson City plead guilty to first-degree statutory sodomy on Friday, according to a press release from Cole County Prosecuting Attorney Locke Thompson.

According to the release, the events occurred in Jefferson City between August of 2018 and May of 2020. The victim told their parents about the abuse and the parents immediately reported it to police, the release says.

Swillum was charged in February 2023.

"During his plea, Swillum stipulated that he was a predatory sexual offender, meaning that he will
be sentenced to mandatory life imprisonment," the release states.

A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Sept. 22. It will be determined then if he will be eligible for parole, according to the release.