Stephen Walker, 43, of Twin Falls, was sentenced Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Boise to 25 years in prison followed by 25 years supervised release, for transporting and possessing child pornography, according to U.S. Attorney Wendy Olson.
Walker pleaded guilty on August 5 of this year.
According to court documents, Department of Homeland Security agents served a search warrant in February, 2014 at the Old Towne Lodge in Twin Falls, where Walker was living with three underage children.
The agents seized computers and electronic devices pursuant to the warrant, and a subsequent
A forensic examination revealed the computers and electronic devices the agents seized contained images of child pornography.
In his plea agreement, Walker admitted he transported 462 digital images and 42 videos of child porn from Texas to Idaho. The images included child victims from 46 known child porn series, and “depicted prepubescent minors and images of sadistic and masochistic abuse,” according to a news release from Olson’s office.
Walker also admitted that 78 of the images, and four of the videos, depicted himself engaged in sexually explicit conduct with one of the children who was living with him at the time.
Walker said that he took these images while living in Texas, and transported them to Idaho.
Chief U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Walker to forfeit two laptop computers, an external hard drive, and a digital camera used in the commission of the crimes.
As a result of his conviction, Walker will be required to register as a sex offender.
“Three innocent children were rescued from a life of certain continued victimization thanks to the action of our special agents and partners involved in investigating this case,” said Steve Cagen, acting special agent in charge of HSI Seattle. “No child should be subject to this type of cruel punishment.”
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations and the Twin Falls Police Department, among other agencies.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse.
