In September 2023, Warrenton Police Detective Andrew Sitton received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that they had received reports from Verizon Wireless of child pornography on a Verizon device. 

That device belonged to Ethan Welch, 34, of Wright City. 

According to the probable cause statement filed by Sitton, Welch was already a suspect in an active case with the Warren County Sheriff’s Department and in February 2024 he executed a search warrant of Welch’s residence where they seized several electronics for digital examination. 

The materials were sent to the St. Charles County Cyber Crimes Task Force where Detective Samantha Scott completed the digital examination. According to the probable cause statement she reported two videos and four photos she suspected were child pornography on a Lenovo laptop. 

Sitton reviewed the materials and Welch was charged with four counts of possession of child pornography. 

In August 2024, Welch was also indicted by a grand jury on two counts of first-degree child molestation, two counts of statutory sodomy or attempted statutory sodomy of a person less than 14 years old and one county of statutory rape or attempted statutory rape of a person less than 14 years old. 

A warrant was served for his arrest and he is to be held without bond.