Barnett man charged with child molestation, child porn possession

MORGAN COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Barnett, Missouri, man was charged with a pair of child sex crimes on Friday.

Stephen Michael Jones was charged in Morgan County with child porn possession and third-degree child molestation. A no-bond warrant was issued on Friday. He was not listed on the Morgan County Jail roster on Friday afternoon. A court date has not been set.

According to the probable cause statement, the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office was contacted in January by the Department of Family Services about possible sexual abuse against a child. A child had allegedly told a nurse at University Hospital in Columbia that they were inappropriately touched by Jones. The child again gave details during a Feb. 28 interview at Kid’s Harbor in Osage Beach, the statement says.

Jones was interviewed by law enforcement on March 20 and he denied the allegations, the statement says. Law enforcement allegedly asked Jones if he would take a CVSA lie detector test and he said yes, court documents say. The test was conducted on April 2 and Jones allegedly failed multiple questions, court documents say.

Jones was allegedly then asked if he watched pornography that was “age inappropriate” and he allegedly said “yes but it was not on purpose,” court documents say. He was asked if he had “age inappropriate” materials on his phone and he said “no,” court documents say. Jones later admitted to having “age inappropriate” material on his phone and gave the phone to law enforcement, the statement says.

At least 21 images of child pornography were found on the phone, court documents say.