A 42-year-old Twin Falls man has been sentenced to 6.5 years in federal prison for possessing child sexual abuse material, according to a recent investigation.
Shane Pruett, 42, was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison for possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced.
The investigation began when Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) received CyberTip reports from Reddit, a report submitted to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).
HSI agents determined that a Reddit account, later identified as belonging to Pruett, had posted CSAM on Reddit. The agents obtained a federal search warrant for the contents of Pruett’s Reddit account and located images of CSAM, along with messages that Pruett had sent discussing his sexual interest in children.
HSI executed a federal search warrant at Pruett’s Twin Falls residence and seized two cellphones, an iPad, and a laptop computer belonging to Pruett. A forensic examination revealed CSAM on each of the devices.
U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford also sentenced Pruett to 15 years of supervised release and ordered him to pay $15,000 in restitution to victims in the images he possessed. Pruett will be required to register as a sex offender as a result of the conviction.
U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit commended the cooperative efforts of Homeland Security Investigations and the Twin Falls Police Department, which led to the charge. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006.
Key Facts
- State: Idaho
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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