Paul Anthony Rible Pleads Guilty in U.S. Federal Court
The United States Attorney's Office announced that during a federal court session in Great Falls, on December 11, 2012, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Keith Strong, PAUL ANTHONY RIBLE, a 39-year-old resident of Plentywood, pled guilty to accessing child pornography with the intent to view. Sentencing has been set for March 25, 2013.
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:
An investigation into RIBLE began when agents determined that an IP address assigned to RIBLE's residence offered known child pornography video files available for download via the Internet from October 12, 2011, through December 13, 2011. An agent viewed some of the files which were available for download and determined they depicted children engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
A search warrant for RIBLE's residence was obtained and served on May 22, 2012. RIBLE was summoned to the Havre Border Patrol station to be interviewed on the day of the search. While agents conducted the search at RIBLE's Plentywood residence, RIBLE was interviewed in Havre.
RIBLE admitted to viewing child pornography on his computers at his residence in Plentywood. He described the images, and his description met the federal definition for child pornography. RIBLE said he used the Internet, his computer, and specific file sharing programs to obtain the images. RIBLE confirmed that he viewed the files listed in the IP activity log which showed the video files available for download between October 12, 2011, and December 13, 2011.
RIBLE also admitted he viewed child pornography on a laptop computer the night before the interview. He produced the laptop computer and a forensic analysis of the laptop produced evidence that RIBLE had visited websites consistent with online viewing of child pornography on May 21, 2012.
No additional evidence was located on the computer or electronic media seized from RIBLE's residence. Agents determined that the computer RIBLE had used to access and view the child pornography had malfunctioned and had been disposed of prior to the search of the residence.
RIBLE faces possible penalties of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and lifetime supervision.
The investigation was a cooperative effort between the U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations.
