Waterloo Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Child Exploitation Charges

28-year-old Steven William Acklin admitted to persuading minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct and receiving child pornography.

Mar. 24, 2026 at 7:13pm

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A 28-year-old Waterloo man named Steven William Acklin has pleaded guilty to federal child exploitation charges in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Acklin admitted to persuading multiple minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing images, as well as receiving child pornography, between 2023 and 2024.

Why it matters

This case is part of the nationwide Project Safe Childhood initiative led by the Department of Justice to combat child sexual exploitation. Acklin's guilty plea highlights the ongoing efforts to identify and prosecute individuals involved in these heinous crimes against children.

The details

According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Iowa, Acklin entered the guilty plea on Monday in federal court in Cedar Rapids. Investigators say he admitted to persuading minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing images between January and September of 2024, as well as receiving child pornography between October 2023 and November 2024.

  • Acklin pleaded guilty on March 24, 2026.
  • The crimes occurred between January 2024 and November 2024.

The players

Steven William Acklin

A 28-year-old man from Waterloo, Iowa who pleaded guilty to federal child exploitation charges.

U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Iowa

The federal prosecutor's office that handled the case against Acklin.

FBI

The federal law enforcement agency that investigated the case against Acklin.

Department of Justice

The federal agency leading the nationwide Project Safe Childhood initiative to combat child sexual exploitation.

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What’s next

Acklin will be sentenced at a later date following the completion of a presentence report. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and could receive up to 50 years, along with a possible $500,000 fine and lifetime supervised release.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing efforts by federal authorities to identify and prosecute individuals involved in the exploitation of minors. It underscores the importance of the Project Safe Childhood initiative in combating these heinous crimes and protecting vulnerable children.