Andrew Gross, a 42-year-old resident of Sioux City, Iowa, pleaded guilty in federal court on September 11, 2025, to possession of child pornography. The plea was entered before the United States District Court in Sioux City.
During the hearing, Gross admitted that between April 1 and May 14, 2024, he received and possessed child pornography. According to investigators, the Sioux City Police began their inquiry after receiving a report from the parents of a 15-year-old about sexually explicit conversations between Gross and their child. Further investigation found that Gross and the minor exchanged sexually explicit messages that included photographs of the minor victim. Gross also acknowledged possessing additional images and videos depicting child pornography. He had previously been convicted in Minnesota in 2021 for offenses related to aggravated sexual abuse involving a minor.
Sentencing will be scheduled following completion of a presentence report. Gross remains in custody with the United States Marshal until sentencing. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison and could receive up to twenty years’ imprisonment, along with a $250,000 fine and at least five years of supervised release.
The case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched 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 investigate and prosecute those who exploit children and to identify victims. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at www.usdoj.gov/psc.
“This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.””
