Former Fulton cop pleads guilty to federal child porn charges

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A former Fulton police officer pleaded guilty to federal charges related to child sex abuse materials, according to a Wednesday press release from the Department of Justice.

Jimmy Joe Culbertson, 68, of Columbia, pleaded guilty to two counts of producing child sex abuse materials and one count of possessing child sex abuse materials. He is currently being held at the Boone County Jail.

Culbertson served as a police officer for 24 years, according to the release. Culbertson admitted to photographing his abuse of two children and possessed more than 150 files showing child sex abuse, the release says.

He faces up to 70 years in prison in that case. He is also currently charged in Boone County with eight counts of statutory sodomy of a child younger than 12 years old.

According to previous reporting, a victim reported to law enforcement that Culbertson sexually assaulted them several times. Court documents in previous reporting say Culbertson allegedly admitted to a Boone County deputy that he sexually assaulted the victim before Culbertson held a gun and threatened to shoot himself. He was then arrested.

A hearing in that case is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 11, 2027.