Twin Falls man gets prison for transporting, possessing child pornography
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The following is a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho.
BOISE – Stephen Roy Walker, 43, of Twin Falls was sentenced Tuesday in United States District Court to 300 months in prison followed by 25 years supervised release, for transportation and possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced. Walker pleaded guilty on August 5, 2016.
According to the plea agreement, agents with the Department of Homeland Security served a search warrant at the Old Towne Lodge in Twin Falls, where Walker was living with three minor children, in February of 2014. Agents seized computers and electronic devices pursuant to the warrant, and a subsequent forensic examination of the devices revealed images of child pornography on the devices. In his plea agreement, Walker admitted that he transported 462 digital images and 42 digital videos containing child pornography from Texas to Idaho, and that he possessed the images while living in Idaho. The images included child victims from 46 known child pornography series, and depicted prepubescent minors and images of sadistic and masochistic abuse.
Walker also admitted that 78 of the images, and 4 of the videos, depicted himself engaged in sexually explicit conduct with one of the children who was living with him at the Old Towne Lodge. Walker further admitted that he took these images while living in Texas, and transported them to Idaho.
Chief U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Walker to forfeit two laptop computers, an external hard drive, and a digital camera used in the commission of the charged offenses. As a result of his conviction, Walker will be required to register as a sex offender.
“Three innocent children were rescued from a life of certain continued victimization thanks to the swift action of our special agents and partners involved in investigating this case,” said Steve Cagen, acting special agent in charge of HSI Seattle. “No child should be subject to this type of cruel punishment. Together, HSI and local law enforcement strive to assist traumatized youth by holding all child predators accountable for their deeds.”
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office will aggressively work with our local, state, and federal partners to stop the sexual exploitation of children,” said Olson. “Those who continue to victimize children will be targeted and prosecuted. Mr. Walker is being severely and appropriately punished for his criminal conduct.”
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations and the Twin Falls Police Department, with assistance from the Buhl Police Department, the Idaho State Police, and the Twin Falls County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
The case 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, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”