SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Strafford, Mo., woman was sentenced in federal court today for her role in a “throuple” who sexually abused two children to produce child pornography.
Jessica Nicole Pickett, 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Megan Blair Benton to a total of 25 years in federal prison without parole, to be followed by a life term of supervised release. Pickett will be required to register as a sex offender upon her release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout her life.
Pickett pleaded guilty on Jan. 22, 2026, to conspiracy to commit sexual exploitation of children and transfer of obscene material to a minor. Pickett admitted that she participated in a conspiracy with Mallory Bunch and Thomas Bunch (now deceased, formerly Mallory Bunch’s husband with whom they were involved in a polyamorous relationship) to sexually abuse two minor victims and to produce child pornography depicting that abuse from Sept. 2, 2016, to May 23, 2024. Pickett also admitted to sharing an iCloud link that contained 376 images and two videos of the sexual activity of Mallory and Thomas Bunch and Pickett with one of the minor victims.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Greene County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, and Webster County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office.
Project Safe ChildhoodThis case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."