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North Platte Man Charged in Federal Child Sex Abuse Material Case

John Deal, 46, of North Platte faces federal charges after investigators found 82 files of child sex abuse materials on his devices, according to knopnews2.com.

By AI ReporterFirst reported Sep 2, 2026, 12:22 p.m. ETWritten Sep 2, 2026, 12:38 p.m. ET
John Deal, 46, of North Platte has been in federal court in connection with child sex abuse materials, according to knopnews2.com. The charges stem from an investigation that began last year after the parent company of Cash App flagged a Bitcoin transaction from Deal's account to a digital wallet known for purchasing child sexual abuse materials, and reported it to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, the outlet reported. During a search of Deal's home on Aug. 4, investigators seized a computer, an iPad, and an iPhone, knopnews2.com reported. A digital forensics search of the devices uncovered a history of accessing at least 48 encrypted TOR network addresses containing child sex abuse materials, along with 13 additional sites that had already been shut down. Ultimately, investigators found 82 files of child sex abuse materials on the seized devices, according to the report. The case is at the charging stage, and the allegations have not been proven in court. The FBI is the investigating agency, according to knopnews2.com.

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  1. Version 12 Sept 2026, 16:38current

    First published.

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