FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
ERIC JAMES COTTRILL 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 July 16, 2008, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah C. Lynch, ERIC JAMES COTTRILL, a 36-year-old resident of Helena, pled guilty to receipt and possession of child pornography. Sentencing is set for November 7, 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:
In May of 2007, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office received a report that COTTRILL had been accessing child pornography via the Internet and his home computer at his residence in Montana City.
COTTRILL'S computer was seized and searched and images of child pornography were found. When questioned, COTTRILL admitted that he had originally accessed adult pornography Internet sites but then became curious and began accessing child pornography internet sites during 2006 and 2007. He reported that the sites included movies and images of young children engaged in sexual acts, including vaginal and anal penetration. COTTRILL also admitted that he knew what he was doing was illegal.
COTTRILL faces possible penalties of a mandatory minimum of 5 years in prison and could be sentenced to 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation.
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A copy of the Offer of Proof can be obtained by contacting Sally Frank at (406) 247-4638.
