Jefferson City couple faces multiple child sex crime charges
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)
A Jefferson City couple faces multiple child sex crime charges after an investigation began from an online tip in April 2022.
A Cole County prosecutor has charged Paul Schofield with possession of child pornography according to online court records. Sara Schofield is charged with incest, endangering the welfare of a child engaging in sexual conduct, use of a child in sexual performance - serious emotional injury, sexual exploitation of a minor, sodomy and second-degree child molestation.
According to a release by the Boone County Sheriff's office, charges against Paul Schofield have been amended to include first-degree sodomy, incest, and sexual exploitation of a minor. Paul's additional charges have not been updated according to online court records.
The Boone County Sheriff’s Office Cyber Crimes Task Force received an online tip report from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding an identified online account within Cole County which had been used to upload child sexual abuse material in April 2022.
Investigators of this crime then identified the account and connected it to a residence in Jefferson City.
Deputies executed a search warrant of the house on Tuesday and found multiple electronic devices within the home and identified the suspect's account holder and discovered additional child sexual abuse material.
In the release, a Cyber Crimes Task Force investigator continued forensic analysis of electronic items associated with the defendant and located videos from 2019 depicting both Paul Schofield and Sara Schofield sexually abusing the 7-year-old child, who was age 4 at the time. These videos were discovered on Thursday.
Officials say Sara Schofield met with investigators at the Cole County Sheriff’s Office where she was interviewed and arrested on Thursday.
The identified 7-year-old victim was taken into protective custody and a second search warrant was obtained and served at the residence, according to the release.
A bond hearing is scheduled for Paul on Wednesday. Adam Dowling is listed as Paul's defense attorney according to online court records.
Sara Schofield does not have a defense attorney listed according to online court records.
