Jefferson City man charged with sexually exploiting child after domestic violence call

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Jefferson City man was charged with sexually exploiting a child after a victim from a prior domestic violence call found an illicit video on her phone that showed the man and a child.

Michael Maute was charged on Wednesday with sexually exploiting a child. He is being held at the Cole County Jail without bond. He had appeared in court by video from the jail on Wednesday. An arraignment is set for 10:30 a.m. Friday.

Maute was also charged on May 6 with fourth-degree domestic assault and resisting arrest, both misdemeanors, for an incident that allegedly occurred on May 5. He had previously pleaded guilty to fourth-degree domestic assault on June 27, 2023. He was sentenced to two years of probation along with a suspended sentence of one year. A probation status hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Monday at the Cole County Circuit Court.

According to the probable cause statement related to Wednesday’s charges, Maute was arrested and still had a phone belonging to a woman, described as a witness in documents. She received her phone while Maute was in the jail, the statement says.

The woman then discovered an illicit video that included a child and Maute, who showed his face. Maute was questioned by law enforcement and he allegedly admitted to creating the video and knowing the age of the child.