WICHITA – A Dodge City man pleaded guilty Monday, March 14, to transporting child pornography across state lines, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said in a news release.

Joel Edward McClure, 36, Dodge City, pleaded guilty to one count of transportation of child pornography.

In his plea, he admitted that in May and August 2015 he used his laptop computer to download and share child pornography with other users via a file sharing network. Investigators followed an electronic trail to McClure’s home in Dodge City,  where they served a search warrant. They learned McClure had left Dodge City with his laptop and gone to Denver. Investigators found McClure with the laptop containing the child pornography.

Sentencing is set for June 1. Both parties have agreed to recommend a sentence of 77 months in federal prison. Grissom commended the Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart for their work on the case.

According to an  official statement from the Catholic Diocese of Dodge City, “Joel McClure was placed on leave from formation as a seminarian of the Diocese of Dodge City, effective August 24, 2015. Upon consultation with the Diocesan Review Board, Bishop (John) Brungardt discontinued McClure as a seminarian, as of August 26, 2015.”

McClure had been a seminarian for two years.

“The decision followed the receipt of credible allegations from law enforcement who are investigating McClure’s possible viewing, possessing and sharing images of child pornography on the internet,” the statement continued.