The United States Attorney's Office announced that during a federal court session in Missoula, on January 20, 2011, before U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy, JEFFREY KYLE EICHMANN, a 23-year-old resident of Bozeman, pled guilty to receipt of child pornography. Sentencing has been set for April 28, 2011. He is currently released on special conditions.

In an Offer of Proof filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcia K. Hurd, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:

Law enforcement officers were investigating allegations of child pornography access by users utilizing the peer-to-peer file sharing network. One investigation involved a person in Bozeman who had child pornography available to share via a file sharing program. A search warrant was obtained for the residence and served in July 2010.

EICHMANN was one of the occupants of the residence. When questioned, EICHMANN admitted that he used the peer-to-peer file sharing program Limewire to receive and possess child pornography videos and images beginning in 2006 and continuing until the execution of the search warrant. He detailed the search terms he used to find child pornography on Limewire and how he saved it to various computers and other equipment.

Agents seized computers and related equipment and media at EICHMANN's residence. A subsequent forensic examination revealed hundreds of images and movies of child pornography that EICHMANN had received via the Internet from 2006 and continuing until the equipment was seized. EICHMANN possessed images and movies of children clearly prepubescent and children engaged in sadistic or masochistic abuse or other depictions of violence. At the time of the warrant, EICHMANN possessed a total of 264 images and 15 videos of child pornography on 4 separate computers or hard drives, although he had been collecting and then getting rid of images and movies for years.

EICHMANN faces possible penalties of a mandatory minimum of 5 years in prison and could be sentenced to 20 years, a $250,000 fine and lifetime supervision.

The investigation was conducted by the Gallatin County Sheriff's Office.

A copy of the Offer of Proof can be obtained by contacting Sally Frank at (406) 247-4638.

 

 

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