A Council Bluffs resident, David Michael Morse, 55, has been sentenced to 180 months in federal prison for receipt of child pornography and being a felon in possession of a firearm. The sentencing took place on July 24, 2025.
The case began when the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a CyberTip indicating that an account linked to Morse had received and uploaded an image depicting child sexual abuse material. Law enforcement searched Morse’s residence in Council Bluffs, where they seized electronic devices and firearms. A forensic review of Morse’s phone revealed he had used it to receive images and videos containing child sexual abuse material.
Following his prison term, Morse will serve five years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $9,000 in restitution. Federal prisoners are not eligible for parole.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa announced the sentence. The investigation involved several agencies: the Iowa Department of Public Safety – Cyber Crime Bureau; Council Bluffs Police Department; Iowa State Patrol; the Federal Bureau of Investigation-Child Exploitation Task Force; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Task Force.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, a national initiative started by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to address child sexual exploitation and abuse. The project brings together federal, state, and local resources to find and prosecute individuals who exploit children online and help identify victims. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at https://www.justice.gov/psc.
