Fort Dodge man sentenced to federal prison for receiving child pornography

By Alex Benzegala, [email protected]

Fort Dodge, IA – A Fort Dodge man was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty on charges of receiving child pornography. A press release from the United State’s Attorney’s Office on Wednesday states that 48 year old Billy Jack Canavan was sentenced on December 3. 2021 and plead guilty to the charges on August 9. 2021. Canavan admitted in a plea agreement that from April 13. 2018 to October 21 2019 he received visual depictions of prepubescent minors engaging in sexual activity.

Canavan admitted to receiving child pornography on a Dropbox account and using multiple devices to store the pornography.

Canavan was sentenced to 120 months in prison and was ordered to make $15,000 in restitution to the victims. He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

Canavan is being held in the United State’s Marshall’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The Webster County Sheriff’s Office and the Fort Dodge Police Department investigated the case and the prosecutors were Assistant United States Attorney’s Mikala Steenholdt and Timothy Duax.