A former kindergarten teacher from Farmington, Missouri, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to possessing and sharing child sexual abuse material. Erika L. Morton, 37, entered her plea in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau to one count of possession of child pornography.
Morton admitted to sending child sexual abuse material using the Kik Messenger app. According to court documents, the Missouri State Highway Patrol received a cybertip in February 2025 that reported a Kik user had uploaded several video files showing minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Investigators traced the account back to Morton and interviewed her on June 17, 2025. During the interview, Morton acknowledged she was responsible for sending the material and stated she used her cell phone at home in Ste. Genevieve County to obtain it.
Sentencing is scheduled for April. The offense carries a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both.
The investigation was conducted by the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Koester is handling prosecution.
The case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse online by coordinating federal, state, and local resources to identify offenders and rescue victims. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at www.justice.gov/psc.
