Dearborn Woman Sentenced for Role in Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of a Child

GREAT FALLS - The United States Attorney's Office announced that during a federal court session in Great Falls, on June 6, 2018, before U.S. District Judge Brian Morris, MICHELLE ANDRA JOYNER also known as Michelle Dumond, a 46-year-old resident of Dearborn, Montana, was sentenced to a term of:

•Prison: 300 months

•Special Assessment: $100

•Forfeiture: computer, tablet and cell phone

•Supervised Release: 10 years

JOYNER was sentenced in connection with her guilty plea to sexual exploitation of children (production of child pornography).  Her common law spouse, Timothy Weaver, was sentenced in federal court on May 29, 2018.  Weaver was imprisoned for 500 months for his role in the crimes.  JOYNER and Weaver sexually exploited a child.  The case stemmed from a Cascade County Sheriff’s Office child sex abuse investigation that began in August 2016.  The Sheriff’s Office searched digital devices and determined that JOYNER and Weaver sexually abused a child for a number of years and took images of the abuse. 

Because there is no parole in the federal system, the "truth in sentencing" guidelines mandate that JOYNER will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, JOYNER does have the opportunity to earn a sentence reduction for "good behavior." However, this reduction will not exceed 15% of the overall sentence.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyndee L. Peterson.  This case was a cooperative investigation between the Cascade County Sheriff’s Office and the Homeland Security Investigations.  Both agencies are members of the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.   

This case was initiated under the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood initiative which was launched in 2006 to combat the proliferation of technology-facilitated crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children.  Through a network of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and advocacy organizations, Project Safe Childhood attempts to protect children by investigating and prosecuting offenders involved in child sexual exploitation.  It is implemented through partnerships including the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.  The ICAC Task Force Program was created to assist state and local law enforcement agencies by enhancing their investigative response to technology facilitated crimes against children.