A Forsyth man was sentenced on July 30 to 27 years in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to producing and possessing child pornography, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said. Zachary Dean Schifferns, 38, also received orders to pay $40,200 in special assessments and $15,000 in restitution.
Schifferns pleaded guilty in March to one count of producing child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography. U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer presided over the case.
According to court documents, Schifferns sought Child Sex Abuse Material from a 14-year-old boy and maintained a cache of illicit images of children. Law enforcement interviewed the boy on December 25 after he reported that Schifferns had contacted him via social media requesting nude images. During their interaction, Schifferns sent the boy a picture of his own genitalia and stated he was interested in boys aged 12 to 15. The boy responded by sending a fake image created from material found online.
The following day, law enforcement obtained a warrant and searched Schifferns’s residence as well as his electronic devices and social media accounts over several weeks. Investigators discovered dozens of sexually explicit images and videos involving children—including some under age twelve—and found similar messages sent by Schifferns to other boys.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno Baucus prosecuted the case with investigations conducted by the FBI, Rosebud County Sheriff’s Office, and Big Horn County Sheriff’s Office.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood—a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice—aimed at combating child sexual exploitation through coordinated federal, state, and local resources focused on apprehending offenders who exploit children online as well as identifying victims for rescue efforts.
The U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana operates offices across Billings, Great Falls, Helena, and Missoula; it is part of the Department of Justice with responsibilities including community safety initiatives addressing violent crime among others, according to the official website.