Child Exploitation Scandal Rocks Children’s Ski School in Nevada

A former employee at a children’s ski school in South Lake Tahoe, California, has been charged with child exploitation and possession of child pornography, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Steven W. Myhre for the District of Nevada.

Stephan L. DeGraffenreid, 26, of Gardnerville, Nevada, was charged with one count of sexual exploitation of a child, two counts of attempted sexual exploitation of a child, and one count of possession of child pornography.

According to a criminal complaint, law enforcement discovered child pornography on an Apple iPod Touch that was found at the Children’s Ski School at Heavenly Ski Resort. During the investigation, law enforcement learned the iPod belonged to DeGraffenreid, who was an employee at the Children’s Ski School.

During the execution of a search warrant at his residence, officers located a thumb drive that contained explicit images of children in a Gardnerville, Nevada, day care facility restroom. DeGraffenreid admitted to downloading and possessing the child pornography.

The case is being investigated by the FBI, the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, and the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shannon M. Bryant.

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.

The alleged crimes carry a mandatory statutory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison for each of the sexual exploitation and attempted sexual exploitation charges.

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