Terry Joseph Jette, Child Coercion, Montana 2021

MISSOULA — A Montana man was sentenced to 10 years in prison for attempting to coerce a minor into sex, officials said.

Terry Joseph Jette, 56, pleaded guilty in December 2021 to attempted coercion and enticement of a minor.

On June 21, 2021, Jette initiated a conversation through social media with a 13-year-old user who was actually an undercover FBI special agent. He continued online communication with the girl until his arrest on July 9, 2021.

During the communications, Jette sent the girl an image of his penis and requested nude images of the child. He initiated sexually explicit conversations, suggested a meeting, and discussed bringing methamphetamine and condoms to the meeting.

Jette traveled from Anaconda to Missoula to meet the girl and asked her to sneak out of her house. He suggested a meeting the next day in East Missoula and made explicit statements about engaging in sexual intercourse, saying he had meth.

Jette was arrested at the predetermined meeting location on July 9, 2021. A search of his vehicle found a condom, meth, Viagra, and candy for the girl.

U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided over the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyndee L. Peterson prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office.

This case was initiated under the Project Safe Childhood initiative, which was launched in 2006 to combat the sexual exploitation of children.

Terry Joseph Jette, 56, was sentenced to 10 years in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. He was arrested on July 9, 2021, in Missoula, Montana. The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office.

Related Federal Cases