A Martin City resident, Raymond Owen Bonner, 40, was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release for producing and distributing child pornography. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen after Bonner pleaded guilty in July 2025 to one count each of production and distribution of child pornography.
According to court documents, an FBI undercover agent discovered messages in June and July 2024 on online platforms known for trafficking child sexual abuse material. The user, later identified as Bonner, claimed access to a six-year-old girl referred to as Jane Doe and posted images and videos documenting the abuse. Bonner stated in chat rooms that he was the child's babysitter.
On September 5, 2024, investigators arrived at Bonner’s home in Martin City. Before law enforcement could reach him, Bonner fled the scene. FBI agents found Jane Doe in a nearby house; she and others confirmed that Bonner had been her babysitter and identified him as the abuser depicted in the distributed material. Authorities seized several devices from his residence, including a cell phone containing images and videos matching those posted online.
Bonner was arrested on September 19, 2024.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Lowney. The investigation involved the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office, and the Northwest Montana Drug Task Force.
"This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC."
