Topline: A former Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper has been sentenced to prison after admitting he seized women’s phones during traffic stops and searched them for nude photos while on duty.
Published: April 30, 2026 12:00 pm ET
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David McKnight (via Missouri State Highway Patrol)
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. — A former Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper was sentenced Tuesday to 21 months in prison after admitting he searched women’s cell phones during traffic stops and recorded nude photos he found on some of the devices.
According to a report from KSDK, 40-year-old David McKnight pleaded guilty in December to nine counts of deprivation of rights under color of law, specifically violating the women’s right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure.
Court records say McKnight took cell phones from nine women and seized photos from the phones of seven of them while he was on duty and in uniform during traffic stops between Sept. 12, 2023, and July 30, 2024.
In several cases, McKnight told the women he needed their phones to verify identification or insurance, then brought the devices back to his patrol car. Investigators said other incidents involved a phone taken after a traffic crash and another after a vehicle breakdown.
The case unraveled after two women became suspicious and reported his actions to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Forensic analysis later showed that McKnight had searched through folders containing nude photographs, and a broader investigation uncovered evidence involving additional victims.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Krug wrote in a sentencing memo that McKnight’s conduct was inexcusable and warranted incarceration. The Missouri State Highway Patrol and the FBI investigated the case, and Krug prosecuted it.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
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Former Missouri Trooper Sentenced for Searching Women’s Phones for Nude Photos
A former Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper has been sentenced to prison after admitting he seized women’s phones during traffic stops and searched them for nude photos while on duty.
By Silvia Torres
Published: April 30, 2026 12:00 pm ET
David McKnight (via Missouri State Highway Patrol)
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. — A former Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper was sentenced Tuesday to 21 months in prison after admitting he searched women’s cell phones during traffic stops and recorded nude photos he found on some of the devices.
According to a report from KSDK, 40-year-old David McKnight pleaded guilty in December to nine counts of deprivation of rights under color of law, specifically violating the women’s right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure.
Court records say McKnight took cell phones from nine women and seized photos from the phones of seven of them while he was on duty and in uniform during traffic stops between Sept. 12, 2023, and July 30, 2024.
In several cases, McKnight told the women he needed their phones to verify identification or insurance, then brought the devices back to his patrol car. Investigators said other incidents involved a phone taken after a traffic crash and another after a vehicle breakdown.
The case unraveled after two women became suspicious and reported his actions to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Forensic analysis later showed that McKnight had searched through folders containing nude photographs, and a broader investigation uncovered evidence involving additional victims.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Krug wrote in a sentencing memo that McKnight’s conduct was inexcusable and warranted incarceration. The Missouri State Highway Patrol and the FBI investigated the case, and Krug prosecuted it.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Former Missouri Trooper Sentenced for Searching Women’s Phones for Nude Photos
A former Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper has been sentenced to prison after admitting he seized women’s phones during traffic stops and searched them for nude photos while on duty.
By Silvia Torres
Published: April 30, 2026 12:00 pm ET
David McKnight (via Missouri State Highway Patrol)
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. — A former Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper was sentenced Tuesday to 21 months in prison after admitting he searched women’s cell phones during traffic stops and recorded nude photos he found on some of the devices.
According to a report from KSDK, 40-year-old David McKnight pleaded guilty in December to nine counts of deprivation of rights under color of law, specifically violating the women’s right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure.
Court records say McKnight took cell phones from nine women and seized photos from the phones of seven of them while he was on duty and in uniform during traffic stops between Sept. 12, 2023, and July 30, 2024.
In several cases, McKnight told the women he needed their phones to verify identification or insurance, then brought the devices back to his patrol car. Investigators said other incidents involved a phone taken after a traffic crash and another after a vehicle breakdown.
The case unraveled after two women became suspicious and reported his actions to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Forensic analysis later showed that McKnight had searched through folders containing nude photographs, and a broader investigation uncovered evidence involving additional victims.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Krug wrote in a sentencing memo that McKnight’s conduct was inexcusable and warranted incarceration. The Missouri State Highway Patrol and the FBI investigated the case, and Krug prosecuted it.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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