The United States Attorney's Office announced that during a federal court session in Missoula, on February 28, 2012, before U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy, JUSTIN ROBERT SNOW, a 29-year-old resident of Kalispell, pled guilty to possession of child pornography. Sentencing has been set for June 7, 2012. He is currently released on special conditions.

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

As part of an Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigation, the Flathead County Sheriff's Department obtained a search warrant for SNOW's residence in Kalispell.

On March 29, 2011, the search warrant was served. When interviewed, SNOW admitted to downloading child pornography via the Internet for approximately eight years. He admitted he had been downloading the videos with peer-to-peer software. He disclosed search terms which were indicative of search terms used to locate child pornography files.

SNOW's computers, external hard drive, and CDR were forensically analyzed. The examiner located files which had images and videos portraying children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The examiner also found search terms indicative of a search for child pornography.

SNOW faces possible penalties of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and lifetime supervision.

The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Flathead County Sheriff's Department, the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force and the Social Security Administration - Office of Inspector General.

 

 

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