Poplar Bluff man sentenced to 30 years in prison for child sexual exploitation

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo., (KBSI) — U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk sentenced Jason R. Hicks-Simpson to 30 years in prison Friday for recording his rape of a minor with an intellectual disability.

Hicks-Simpson, 46, of Poplar Bluff, pleaded guilty in October to one count of sexual exploitation of a minor. He will now face state charges.

The victim, now 17, told investigators Hicks-Simpson abused her since she was 5, according to his plea agreement. He threatened to kill her and her kittens if she revealed the secret.

Hicks-Simpson initially claimed the abuse happened only once, several months prior. However, investigators found videos on his phone dating back to May 2023.

The Poplar Bluff Police Department and FBI investigated the case, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Hunter prosecuting.

This case was part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse.