LARIMER COUNTY, Colo. — A former Loveland paraprofessional who pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of a child and child abuse was sentenced to 120 days in jail and 10 years of specialized probation, the 8th Judicial District Attorney's Office announced.
In the summer of 2023, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) gave information to the Larimer County Sheriff's Office Internet Crimes Against Children investigator regarding images that showed the sexual abuse of young children. The suspect — later identified as 27-year-old Joseph Major — was associated with an address in unincorporated Larimer County.
Authorities executed a search warrant at Major's home on Nov. 29, 2024. After processing evidence found on some devices, he was arrested on Dec. 7 for sexual exploitation of a child - possession of more than one video and sexual exploitation of a child - possession of more than 20 images.
Major was employed with the Thompson School District from August 2015 to November 2023, according to the Larimer County Sheriff's Office. Most recently, he worked as a paraprofessional at Peakview Academy at Conrad Ball in Loveland. He resigned from the school district during his interview with police, according to the DA's office.
Crime
Former Loveland paraprofessional faces sexual exploitation of a child charges
On April 3, Major pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a child (Class 5 felony) and one count of child abuse (Class 2 misdemeanor), according to the DA's office. He was sentenced Wednesday to 120 days in jail, 18 months in community corrections and 10 years of sex offender intensive supervision probation. Community corrections, which is sometimes referred to as a halfway house, "provides a sentencing or placement alternative, in lieu of prison incarceration, for clients convicted of felony offenses," according to the Colorado Office of Community Corrections.
Some of the requirements for the specialized probation, according to the 8th Judicial District Attorney's Office, include:
- He is required to register as a sex offender for the next 20 years.
- He cannot subscribe to an internet service provider or access the internet until it is approved by his probation officer.
- He cannot have any contact with children unless approved by his probation officer
- He must undergo both mental health and substance abuse evaluation, as well as any treatment programming that's recommended.
