Former Farmington Kindergarten Teacher Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography Charge

Cape Girardeau, Mo. (KFMO) - A former Farmington kindergarten teacher has admitted to possessing and sharing child sexual abuse material.

37-year-old Erika L. Morton, pleaded guilty Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau to one count of possession of child pornography. According to court documents, Morton admitted to sending child sexual abuse material (CSAM) through the Kik Messenger app.

The case began in February 2025, when the Missouri State Highway Patrol received a cybertip reporting that a Kik user had uploaded multiple video files containing images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Investigators later traced the account to Morton.

Authorities interviewed Morton on June 17, 2025. In her plea agreement, she admitted she was the Kik user responsible for sending the material and said she used her cell phone to obtain the CSAM while at her home in Ste. Genevieve County. Morton is scheduled to be sentenced in April.

The charge carries a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in federal prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both.