Former Williamson County Deputy Pleads Guilty Child Exploitation Federal Charges

Joseph Slabaugh, a former deputy with the Williamson County Sheriff's Office, pleaded guilty to federal child exploitation charges after an undercover FBI agent posed as a 14-year-old girl and Slabaugh attempted to obtain explicit images via the Kik app. He admitted to knowingly attempting to possess child pornography and faces up to ten years in prison, a possible $250,000 fine, and must register as a sex offender. The plea agreement highlights that the offense involved interstate communications and includes potential penalties such as supervised release and restitution. Separately, Zachary Pohlmeier, a former deputy with the Webster County Sheriff's Office in Nebraska, pleaded no contest to three counts of possession of child pornography after investigators linked him to multiple files of illicit material found on his phone. Pohlmeier's sentencing is scheduled for January 2026, and he was terminated from the sheriff's office upon notification of the allegations. Both cases underscore ongoing law enforcement efforts to combat child exploitation within their ranks.