The United States Attorney's Office announced that during a federal court session in Helena, on June 22, 2012, before Senior U.S. District Judge Charles C. Lovell, ROGER ALLEN ROYBAL, a 41-year-old resident of Helena/Missoula, pled guilty to receipt of child pornography. Sentencing has been set for October 4, 2012. He is currently detained.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcia K. Hurd stated that the government would have proven the following at trial:

From approximately 2008 to December 2010, ROYBAL used his computer to knowingly receive images of prepubescent children or children under the age of 12; receive images that were sadistic or masochistic or depicted violence; and that he received more than 600 images. He also distributed the images to a minor that he sexually abused on repeated occasions. ROYBAL knew that the images and movies contained children engaged in sexually explicit conduct as defined in federal law.

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

The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Missoula County Sheriff's Office, U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations, and the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation.

 

 

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