COEUR D'ALENE - Kody Ray Gibbs, 29, of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, pleaded guilty yesterday to possession of sexually explicit images of minors, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced. Gibbs was indicted by a federal grand jury in Coeur d'Alene on April 19, 2016.
According to the plea agreement, in February 2016, a woman purchased an “open box" tablet-computer from a local Coeur d’Alene business. When she powered the tablet, she found that it contained images of child pornography. The Coeur d’Alene Police were called. Detectives determined that Gibbs had purchased the computer previously and returned it for a refund. Gibbs was located, interviewed, and admitted to downloading child pornography.
The charge of possession of sexually explicit images of minors is punishable by up to ten years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000.00, and up to lifetime supervised release.
Sentencing is set for September 6, 2016, before Chief United States District Judge B. Lynn Winmill, at the federal courthouse in Coeur d'Alene.
The case was investigated by the Coeur d’Alene Police Department and the Kootenai County Prosecutor’s Office. They participate in the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, a statewide coalition of local, state and federal law enforcement and prosecution agencies, focused on apprehending and prosecuting individuals who use the Internet to criminally exploit children. For more information about the Idaho ICAC Task Force and a list of all the participating agencies, visit www.icactaskforce.org.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources."
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
