Adel Man Sentenced to 108 Months in Federal Prison for Transportation of Child Pornography

DES MOINES, Iowa - An Adel man was sentenced on Friday, September 5, 2025, to 108 months in federal prison for transportation of child pornography.

According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a CyberTip that an account, later determined to be associated with Douglas Harsh, 55, received files containing child sexual abuse material. Law enforcement seized electronic devices during a search of Harsh's Adel residence. The investigation showed that Harsh was a member of an online chat group whose members shared images and videos of child pornography including content of prepubescent children.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Harsh will be required to serve a seven-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Harsh was also ordered to pay $15,000 in restitution.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation Internet Crimes Against Children, and the Dallas County Sheriff's Office.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc. For information about internet safety education, please visit https://www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the resources tab.