Idaho man sentenced to federal prison for distributing child sex abuse material
Published at
The following is a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office (Idaho).
BOISE – U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced that Terry Benjamin Ellinger, 31, of Boise, was sentenced to 162 months in federal prison for distributing child pornography.
According to court records, between Sept. 27, 2023, and Dec. 12, 2023, Ellinger used a social media application to communicate with an individual he believed to be the father of a seven-year-old boy.
In the communications, Ellinger made sexually explicit statements regarding the sexual abuse of children and sent videos of child pornography.
The individual Ellinger was communicating with was an undercover law enforcement officer. Law enforcement identified Ellinger and arrested him on April 24, 2024. During a consensual interview with law enforcement, Ellinger admitted that he was “slightly into the idea of sex with a seven-year old boy” and further admitted receiving and distributing child pornography using social media.
Chief U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford also ordered Ellinger to lifetime supervised release following his prison sentence. Ellinger pleaded guilty to the charge on Sept. 16, 2025.
As a result of his conviction, Ellinger will be required to register as a sex offender.
U.S. Attorney Davis made the announcement and commended the work of Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Boise Police Department, which led to the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Robins prosecuted the case.