Allan Ebel, Child Pornography Possession, ID 2016

Boise, Idaho — A 63-year-old man has been sentenced to four years behind bars after investigators uncovered thousands of child pornography images and dozens of videos on his electronic devices. Allan Ebel, of Boise, pleaded guilty in August 2016 and was sentenced today to 48 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release and a $5,000 fine, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced.

Ebel admitted to possessing 4,688 images and 31 videos containing child pornography, stored on a desktop computer and an external hard drive found at his residence. According to the plea agreement, the devices downloaded the illegal content from a Switzerland-based website on at least six occasions in August 2014. The material was systematically organized in folders, indicating deliberate collection and preservation.

In July 2015, a joint task force executed a search warrant at Ebel’s home, with agents from the Department of Homeland Security, the Boise Police Department, and the Ada County Sheriff’s Office seizing multiple computers and storage devices. A forensic examination confirmed that Ebel owned and operated the equipment used to store and access the illicit material.

Sentencing was handed down by Senior U.S. District Judge Edward J. Lodge, who also ordered Ebel to forfeit the computer and external hard drive used in the commission of the crimes. As part of his conviction, Ebel is now required to register as a sex offender for life, subjecting him to ongoing monitoring and public disclosure.

The case was prosecuted under Project Safe Childhood, a Justice Department initiative launched in 2006 to combat the proliferation of child sexual exploitation. The program unites federal, state, and local agencies to identify, apprehend, and prosecute offenders while working to rescue victims of abuse.

This investigation underscores the relentless reach of federal and local law enforcement in tracking down individuals who exploit children online. With digital footprints nearly impossible to erase, authorities continue to dismantle networks of abuse—one hard drive at a time.