FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, February 28, 2008
RICKY LEE HECTOR 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 28, 2007, before U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy, RICKY LEE HECTOR, a 49-year-old resident of Missoula, formerly of Butte, pled guilty to receipt and possession of child pornography. Sentencing is set for July 10, 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 ICE 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 made child pornography available to share via a file sharing program beginning in October of 2006 and continuing into 2007. ICE agents tracked the computer IP address to a residence in Missoula.
On March 15, 2007, they executed a search warrant on that residence. HECTOR was at the residence when the agents arrived. When questioned, HECTOR admitted that he used the peer-to-peer file sharing program Limewire and that he occasionally used the program to search for adult pornography. HECTOR admitted that he had occasionally downloaded pornographic images containing preteen children, but that he had not intentionally downloaded them and deleted them as soon as he saw them. HECTOR then admitted that he didn't delete those files for a few days, and then terminated the interview.
Agents seized a computer and other computer equipment. They also discovered over 200 pages of printed child pornography pictures in HECTOR'S dresser drawer and a notebook with suspected child pornography search terms written in it. Subsequent forensic examination revealed thousands of images and hundreds of movies of child pornography that HECTOR had received via the Internet during 2006 and 2007 and continued to possess until the service of the warrant. HECTOR possessed images and movies of children clearly prepubescent and children engaged in sadistic or masochistic abuse or other depictions of violence.
HECTOR faces possible penalties of a mandatory minimum of 5 years in prison and could be sentenced to the maximum of 20 years, 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.
