A former Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper admitted in federal court Tuesday that he used his badge to unlawfully search women’s cell phones during traffic stops, specifically looking for nude photographs.
David McKnight, 40, pleaded guilty to nine counts of deprivation of rights under color of law. He acknowledged violating the women’s constitutional rights to be free from unreasonable search and seizure during a spree of incidents between September 2023 and July 2024.
According to the plea agreement, McKnight targeted women while on duty, in uniform, and driving a marked patrol vehicle.
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In several instances, he pulled women over for traffic violations and took their phones back to his patrol car, claiming he needed to verify their identification or insurance coverage.
Once out of sight, McKnight accessed the devices without a warrant or probable cause. He scrolled through their private galleries to locate nude images of the drivers or their partners. Prosecutors said he even used his own personal cell phone to take pictures of the images he found on the victims’ screens.
The misconduct wasn’t limited to standard traffic stops. McKnight also exploited interactions with women he encountered after car accidents, vehicle breakdowns, and even one woman who had flagged him down to report a careless driver.
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The scheme unraveled when two of the victims became suspicious of how long McKnight remained in his vehicle with their phones. They reported the behavior to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, triggering an internal review. Forensic analysis later proved McKnight had navigated specifically to folders containing private, explicit content on the victims’ devices.
The investigation was handled jointly by the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the FBI.
McKnight is scheduled for sentencing on March 24, 2026.
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