DES MOINES, Iowa — A Marshalltown man has been arrested on hundreds of counts of sexual exploitation of a minor after police say he was discovered to be in possession of child pornography.

Michael Benson, 65, is charged with 329 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor — a Class D felony, according to a news release from the Marshalltown Police Department.

MPD said its investigation began in January of 2024. A search warrant application revealed MPD began investigating after a Cyber Tipline Report was submitted to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about a child porn image that had been uploaded from an IP address geo-locating in Marshalltown.

Police learned the IP address was registered to a Mediacom account in the name of Benson. A search warrant for Benson’s residence was granted, and evidence was seized. MPD said analysis of the data over the next 12 months led to arrest warrants being applied for and granted on April 23rd, 2025.

Benson was arrested outside his residence on Thursday afternoon.