Marshall County Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Possession of Child Pornography

FERGUS FALLS, Minn. – A Marshall County man has been sentenced to 120 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release for possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger. 

According to court documents, Keith Allen Barsness, 64, of Grygla, possessed multiple images and videos depicting prepubescent minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Acting on a tip, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Barsness’s residence and found the pornographic images of minors on cell phones, tablets, and computers. Barsness voluntarily admitted to investigators that he had been searching the internet for and viewing child pornography “for years.”

On January 5, 2023, Barness pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography and was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge Eric C. Tostrud.

This case was the result of an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Esther Soria Mignanelli prosecuted the case.