Man pleads guilty to child pornography

A 29-year-old Kalispell man pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography during a change-of-plea hearing Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Missoula.

According to a release from the U.S. Department of Justice, deputies with the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office searched the home of Justin Snow on March 29, 2011. They seized his computers, an external hard drive and CDs.

When analyzed, the computer equipment was found to contain pornographic images and videos of children as well as a history of search terms indicating a search for child pornography. During interviews, Snow admitted to downloading the material and using the search terms.

He faces up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 and lifetime supervision. His sentencing is scheduled for June 7.

The investigation was a cooperative effort between the sheriff’s office, the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Office of the Inspector General of the Social Security Administration.