FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, November 26, 2007
CARL WHIPPO PATTERSON PLEADS GUILTY IN U.S. FEDERAL COURT
Bill Mercer, United States Attorney for the District of Montana, announced today that during a federal court session in Missoula on November 26, 2007, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah C. Lynch, CARL WHIPPO PATTERSON, a 23-year-old resident of Belgrade, pled guilty to two counts of sexual exploitation of children. Sentencing is set for March 7, 2008. He is currently detained.
In an Offer of Proof filed by the United States, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:
On December 13, 2005, a woman in Gallatin County discovered images of her six-year old daughter engaged in sexually explicit conduct on a cellular camera phone belonging to PATTERSON. When the child was questioned by law enforcement officials, she disclosed that PATTERSON had sexually abused her on a number of occasions and had taken the cell phone pictures as well as a videotape of her during those sexual acts.
During a search of PATTERSON'S residence in Belgrade, the videotape was found. The cellular phone images and the videotape were made in November and/or December of 2005 at PATTERSON'S residence in Belgrade.
When questioned by law enforcement, PATTERSON admitted that he had sexually abused the child and recorded that abuse via both the cell phone and video camera.
PATTERSON faces possible penalties of a mandatory 15 years in prison and could be sentenced to the maximum of 30 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and lifetime supervision.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcia K. Hurd prosecuted the case for the United States.
The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Gallatin County Sheriff's Office
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A copy of the Offer of Proof can be obtained by contacting Sally Frank at (406) 247-4638.
