Cedar Rapids Predator: Lynch Gets 17+ Years

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – Brian Lynch, 47, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, will spend the next seventeen-plus years of his life behind bars after being sentenced today for a sickening crime: possessing and downloading child pornography. The sentence, handed down by United States District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade, reflects the gravity of Lynch’s depravity and the harm he inflicted on vulnerable children.

Lynch pleaded guilty back on August 1, 2013, to one count each of receipt and possession of child pornography. Court records reveal a disturbing pattern of behavior spanning nearly a decade. Between March 2010 and March 2013, Lynch actively sought out and downloaded this illegal material using the internet. The depravity didn’t stop there; between November 2004 and April 2013, he hoarded a collection of images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children.

The sheer volume of material is staggering. According to the plea agreement, Lynch possessed over 350 videos and more than 175 images of child pornography, including depictions of prepubescent children. This wasn’t a momentary lapse in judgment; it was a sustained and deliberate act of exploitation. The evidence paints a chilling picture of a predator preying on innocence from the shadows of his own home.

Judge Reade sentenced Lynch to 210 months – 17 years and 6 months – in federal prison. But the punishment doesn’t end there. In addition to the prison term, Lynch was ordered to pay a $200 special assessment and will serve a ten-year term of supervised release upon his eventual release. Crucially, he will be required to comply with all sex offender registration and public notification requirements, ensuring his movements are monitored and the public is aware of his dangerous history.

The investigation, a collaborative effort between the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the DeWitt Police Department, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, and the United States Marshals Service, underscores the importance of interagency cooperation in combating this heinous crime. Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel skillfully prosecuted the case, bringing Lynch to justice. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative aimed at dismantling child sexual abuse networks and protecting vulnerable children.

Project Safe Childhood, launched in 2006, marshals federal, state, and local resources to identify, apprehend, and prosecute individuals like Lynch. It’s a grim reminder that this fight is far from over. For more information on Project Safe Childhood and internet safety resources, visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Court file information for this case (CR 13-29) can be found at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.