FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, November 26, 2007
MATT FROST 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 Billings on November 26, 2007, before U.S. District Judge Richard F. Cebull, MATT FROST, a 25-year-old resident of Billings, pled guilty to receipt and possession of child pornography. Sentencing is set for March 8, 2008. He is currently released on special conditions.
In an Offer of Proof filed by the United States, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:
The Wyoming Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force initiated an undercover operation targeting peer-to-peer file sharing networks offering child pornography.
In May of 2005, a computer utilizing the IP address assigned to FROST at his residence in Billings had images of child pornography available to other peer-to-peer users.
On February 22, 2006, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at FROST'S residence in Billings. FROST was interviewed and he admitted that he had used file sharing programs, his computer, and the Internet to receive and possess child pornography images. FROST stated that he had been doing so since the age of 16 and felt that he had a problem with child pornography. FROST also admitted that he had received child pornography images via e-mail from several other people.
Seized during the search were various items of computer equipment. When examined, numerous images of child pornography were found, including images of known victims. Some of the children depicted in the images were clearly less than age 12 or prepubescent, and/or were engaged in sadism or masochism or other depictions of violence. FROST faces possible penalties of a mandatory 5 years in prison and could be sentenced to the maximum of 20 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 Billings Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
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A copy of the Offer of Proof can be obtained by contacting Sally Frank at (406) 247-4638.
