Jerome Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child Pornography

BOISE, Idaho (News Release) –  Casey Gibson, 23, of Jerome pleaded guilty Tuesday in U.S. District Court to possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced. 

Gibson waived his right to indictment and pleaded guilty to an information filed by the U.S. Attorney's Office.

According to the plea agreement, an electronic device at Gibson’s residence in Jerome accessed a website based in Russia that contained child pornography, and made postings offering to trade images of child pornography.

In July of 2015, agents with the Department of Homeland Security, with assistance from the Twin Falls County Sheriff’s Office, contacted Gibson at his residence. Gibson gave agents consent to search his phone and e-mail accounts.

Agents discovered evidence that Gibson used his e-mail account to receive, distribute, and possess images of child pornography. During a voluntary interview, Gibson admitted to receiving and viewing images of child pornography in his e-mail account.

Agents discovered 11 images of child pornography, and one video containing child pornography, including images of prepubescent minors who had not yet attained the age of twelve.

Sentencing is set for Nov. 14 before Chief U.S. District B. Lynn Winmill.

Possession of child pornography is punishable by up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than five years and up to life.

The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Twin Falls County Sheriff’s Office, and was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.

Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.

For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”