A 28 year old youth ski coach from Duluth has been sentenced to 78 months imprisonment for Possession of Child Pornography.

A 28 year old youth ski coach from Duluth has been sentenced to 78 months imprisonment for Possession of Child Pornography.  Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson made the announcement Thursday.  John David Degelau created child pornography by imposing the faces of children he coached onto the bodies of child pornography victims. 

“A ski coach who used photos of children he coached to create child pornography is now headed to federal prison,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson.  “Today alone, three child predators were sentenced in federal court for absolutely abhorrent conduct.  This epidemic of abuse we are seeing in Minnesota is vile, it is devastating, and it must end.”

According to court documents, John Degelau was caught with over 18,000 files of child pornography.  Law enforcement discovered Degelau was a local ski coach working with children.  In reviewing Degelau’s devices, law enforcement found that he had created child pornography by using Adobe Photoshop.  Degelau used that application by morphing/photoshopping pictures of the children’s faces he coached onto sexually explicit images, to make it appear as though Degelau was performing sex acts on the children.  The investigation uncovered that Degelau’s devices also contained images of children swimming at a beach, apparently taken without their knowledge from a concealed position behind bushes or trees.

Degelau was sentenced on September 25^th, 2025 in U.S. District Court before District Judge Jerry W. Blackwell.  Judge Blackwell sentenced Degelau to 78 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release.  Judge Blackwell ordered Degelau to pay a special assessment of more than $10,000 that will go to programs supporting victims of child pornography offenses and ordered Degelau to pay restitution to the victims of this crime.

“John Degelau will spend the next several years behind bars, a sentence that demonstrates the serious consequences for adults who abuse their position of trust,” said FBI Minneapolis Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr.  “Degelau used his access to children for the most sinister purpose: his own sexual gratification.  Children in our community should be safe in every location, including at the beach and on the ski hill, but especially in the company of a trusted adult.  The FBI appreciates our partnership with the Duluth Police on this important investigation.”

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Duluth Police Department.  After serving his time in prison, Degelau will face another 10 years of supervised release.