U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal | U.S. Department of Justice
A Harlan man has been sentenced to 84 months in federal prison for receiving child pornography. The sentence was handed down on December 12, 2024.
Court documents reveal that the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a CyberTip linked to an account associated with Jesse Daniel Blaine, age 42. This tip indicated the receipt of files containing child sexual abuse material. Law enforcement conducted a search of Blaine's residence in Harlan and seized electronic devices. A forensic examination revealed that Blaine used these devices to receive, view, and possess images and videos of child sexual abuse material, as well as to search for child sex stories.
Upon completing his prison term, Blaine will be subject to a five-year supervised release period. It is noted that there is no parole available in the federal system. Additionally, he has been ordered to pay $21,000 in restitution.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal from the Southern District of Iowa. The investigation involved several agencies including the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation-Cybercrime Bureau, Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation-Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation-Child Exploitation Task Force.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse nationwide. This project coordinates federal, state, and local resources to locate and prosecute individuals exploiting children via the Internet while also identifying and rescuing victims.
For further details on Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
