Missouri man indicted for sexual exploitation of a minor

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — A southeastern Missouri man was indicted by a federal grand jury Wednesday for the sexual exploitation of a minor.

This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force.

Terry Lee Miksell, 63, of Diamond, Missouri, was charged in a two-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield. This indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Miksell Jan. 28.

Miksell is charged with one count of producing child pornography and one count of using the internet and a cell phone to attempt to induce a minor to engage in sexual activity.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, Facebook initiated two CyberTips in September 2019 after locating sexually explicit messages and images between Miksell and a 16-year-old victim, identified in court documents as Jane Doe. Miksell allegedly asked Jane Doe in Facebook Messenger chats to send him sexually explicit images and videos. She told investigators she sent those images and videos at his request.

Officers executed a search warrant at Miksell’s residence Jan. 16, and seized several devices, including a cell phone. According to the affidavit, the cell phone contained a pornographic video of the child victim.

The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller.

This investigation was conducted under HSI’s Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators. Since the launch of Operation Predator in 2003, HSI has arrested more than 25,000 individuals for crimes against children, including the production and distribution of online child exploitation material, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children. In fiscal year 2019, more than 3,500 child predators were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative and more than 1,000 victims identified or rescued.

HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. From outside the U.S. and Canada, callers should dial 802-872-6199. Hearing impaired users can call TTY 802-872-6196.

Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST.

For additional information about wanted suspected child predators, download HSI’s Operation Predator smartphone app or visit the online suspect alerts page. HSI is a founding member of the Virtual Global Taskforce, an international alliance of law enforcement agencies and private industry sector partners working together to prevent and deter online child sexual abuse.