FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
DAVID LEE SAVAGE 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 February 5, 2008, before Chief U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy, DAVID LEE SAVAGE, a 55-year-old resident of Missoula, pled guilty to receipt and possession of child pornography. Sentencing is set for May 16, 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:
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents were investigating allegations of child pornography access by users utilizing the peer-to-peer file sharing network. One investigation involved a person in Missoula who had child pornography available via a file sharing program beginning in early 2007. ICE Agents tracked the computer IP address to a residence in Missoula.
On March 29, 2007, agents executed a search warrant on the Missoula residence where SAVAGE was living. Agents seized two computers and a book containing an image or images of child pornography belonging to SAVAGE.
A subsequent forensic examination revealed numerous items of child pornography that SAVAGE had received via the Internet during 2006 and continued to possess during 2006, 2007, and continuing until the service of the warrant. SAVAGE also possessed a number of movies and some images, including children clearly prepubescent and children engaged in sadistic or masochistic abuse or other depictions of violence.
When questioned, SAVAGE admitted that he had searched the Internet for child pornography using file sharing programs. SAVAGE further admitted that he received and possessed child pornography movies and images "out of curiosity." He also admitted that he knew receiving and possessing the images was "not right."
SAVAGE 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 conducted by 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.
