GREAT FALLS—A Browning man who admitted using his phone to access and distribute child pornography from his dorm room at the University of Montana was sentenced today to five years in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $18,000 restitution, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Dylan LaPlant, 22, pleaded guilty in June to distribution of child pornography and receipt of child pornography.

U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.

In court records filed in the case, the prosecution said an investigation began in March 2018 when an FBI special agent in New York notified an FBI special agent in Montana that during an ongoing child porn investigation, agents had discovered an instant messenger application account in Montana that was linked to the receipt and distribution of numerous child pornography images. The investigation identified LaPlant as a participant in group chat sessions and a chat member who sent multiple links to images and videos of child pornography to other group members.

During an interview with FBI agents in April 2018, LaPlant admitted he had been a student at the University of Montana, and while in his dorm room, he would access the internet with his smart phone. He admitted to accessing group accounts that contained messages and links to child pornography and that he used his phone to view the material and forward links to other group users.

FBI agents served a search warrant on LaPlant’s home in Browning and seized electronic devices that were found to contain more than 500 images and videos of child pornography.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Starnes prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI.

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The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges and indictments handed down by the Grand Jury were unsealed. Indictments are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty:

Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on March 25 was:

DYLAN BLAKE LAPLANT, 21, of Arlee, on charges of distribution of child pornography and receipt of child pornography. LaPlant is detained. If convicted of the most serious crime, LaPlant faces a five years to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release. The FBI investigated the case. Pacer case reference. 19-13.

ISSAC ELIAS SAENZ, 27, of Box Elder, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute meth and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Saenz is detained. If convicted of the most serious crime, Saenz faces a minimum mandatory 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and five years of supervised release. The FBI and Tri-Agency Drug Task Force investigated the case. Pacer case reference. 19-18.

JOSE DANIEL LOZOYA-CAMACHO, 25, of Mexico, on charges of illegal re-entry of a deported alien. Lozoya-Camacho is detained. If convicted of the most serious crime, Lozoya-Camaco faces a maximum two years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. The case was investigated by the U.S. Border Patrol. Pacer case reference. 19-14.

LUIS RAUL LOZOYA-CAMACHO, 29, of Mexico, on charges of illegal re-entry of a deported alien. Lozoya-Camacho is detained. If convicted of the most serious crime, Lozoya-Camacho faces a maximum two years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. The case was investigated by the U.S. Border Patrol. Pacer case reference. 19-14.

Appearing on March 28 was:

LAWRENCE MATTHEW BRASDA, 27, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm and possession of a stolen firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Brasda faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. He was detained. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Pacer case reference. 17-47.

Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on March 26 was:

JACK PRESTON COVERSUP, 56, of Moiese, on charges of sexual abuse of a minor and abusive sexual contact. If convicted of the most serious crime, Coversup faces a maximum life in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release. Coversup was released pending trial. The case was investigated by the FBI. Pacer case reference. 19-15.

CAMERON RIDESTHEHORSE, 35, of Lodge Grass, on charges of failure to register as a sexual offender. If convicted of the most serious crime, Ridesthehorse faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release. Ridesthehorse was detained. The case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Pacer case reference. 19-37.

Appearing in Billings for an initial hearing on a complaint before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan on March 26 was:

JEREMY AARON SCHULER, 31, of Bellevue, WA, on charges of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted of the most serious crime, Schuler faces a minimum mandatory five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and four years of supervised release. He was detained. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Pacer case reference. 19-29.

Appearing in Billings and pleading not guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan on March 27 was:

FRANKLIN NORTON, 41, of Billings, on charges of conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possession with intent to distribute meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Norton faces a minimum mandatory 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and five years of supervised release. Norton was detained. The case was investigated by the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force. Pacer case reference. 19-35.

Appearing on March 28 was:

DANA BEARROBE, 39, of Busby, on charges of failure to register as a sex offender. If convicted of the most serious crime, Bearrobe faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release. He was detained. The case was investigated by the U.S. Marshal’s Service. Pacer case reference. 19-38.

DANIEL MARK TANNER, 32, of Cut Bank, on charges of abusive sexual contact. If convicted of the most serious crime, Tanner faces a maximum of life in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release. He was detained. The case was investigated by the FBI. Pacer case reference. 19-19.

If any of the above cases are of interest to your media organization and the community it serves, we encourage you to monitor the progress of the case regularly through the U.S. District Court calendar and the PACER system.

To establish a PACER account, which will allow you to review documents filed in the case, please go to, http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the district court’s calendar, please go to https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.

 

 

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