Idaho man will serve 16 years in federal prison for child pornography distribution
U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill sentenced a Parma man on Friday to 16 years and eight months in federal prison for distribution of child pornography.
Winmill also sentenced Jason Harvey, 45, to a lifetime of supervised release following his prison sentence, according to a news release from the Idaho U.S. Attorney’s Office. Harvey pleaded guilty to the charge on June 24.
According to court records, the investigation began after Google, Facebook and Yahoo reported that child pornography had been uploaded to various online accounts between Dec. 23, 2016, and March 25, 2019. The Internet Crimes Against Children unit, or ICAC, led the investigation.
“ ICAC obtained search warrants for the online accounts, which revealed the accounts belonged to Harvey,” according to the news release. “Within the accounts, ICAC located images and videos of child pornography and emails and messages where Harvey discussed trading child pornography with others.”
The Idaho U.S. Attorney’s Office said Harvey sent child pornography files to other individuals and received child pornography files in return.
“A federal magistrate judge issued a search warrant for Harvey’s residence in Parma. During the execution of the search warrant, ICAC detectives interviewed Harvey,” according to the news release. “Harvey admitted ownership of the online accounts, but denied involvement in child pornography.”
Harvey must also pay $6,000 in restitution to victims in the images he possessed, and he will be required to register as a sex offender when released from prison.
