ST. LOUIS COUNTY, MO. — On Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged Michael Cornell Jr., 39, of the 9500 block of West Avenue in St. Louis, with multiple offenses including four counts of statutory sodomy in the second degree, three counts of sodomy or attempted sodomy in the first degree, one count of first-degree harassment, and one count of possession of child pornography.
Cornell is being held on a $1 million cash-only bond with no option for 10% release. A booking photo was not available.
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According to the probable cause statement, between Dec. 1, 2016, and Dec. 1, 2017, Cornell engaged in repeated sexual contact with a child under 17 years old, identified as Confidential Victim 1. During that period, he also induced Confidential Victim 2 to come to his residence, where Cornell allegedly engaged in forcible sexual contact, resulting in injury.
Additional allegations include an incident between Dec. 20 and Dec. 21, 2025, when Cornell reportedly induced Confidential Victim 3 to his residence and performed and forcibly engaged in sex acts that caused injury. Between May 1 and Sept. 1, 2024, Cornell allegedly subjected Confidential Victim 4 to repeated physical and verbal acts causing emotional distress, including inappropriate touching and sexually explicit comments.
The possession of child pornography charge stems from a video found on Cornell’s cellphone depicting two juvenile males engaged in a sex act, dated between Dec. 1, 2025, and Jan. 2, 2026.
The St. Louis County Police Department Bureau of Crimes Against Persons detectives are investigating the case.
Authorities encourage anyone who believes they may have been victimized by Cornell to contact detectives at 314-615-5400.
The charges are accusations, and Cornell is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
