JOSEPH VERN LENHART PLEADS GUILTY IN U.S. FEDERAL COURT

Bill Mercer, United States Attorney for the District of Montana, announced today that during a federal court session in Billings on June 7, 2006, before U.S. District Judge Richard F. Cebull, JOSEPH VERN LENHART, a 28-year-old resident of Worden, pled guilty to receipt and possession of child pornography. Sentencing is set for September 8, 2006. He is currently detained.

In an Offer of Proof filed by the United States, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:

In January of 2006, the Billings FBI Office received a report that LENHART had received and possessed child pornography via the Internet using his home computers.

When questioned, LENHART admitted that he used his personal computers to acquire child pornography via the Internet, mainly using a file sharing program. LENHART further admitted that he knew that receipt and possession of child pornography was illegal.

Images of child pornography were found on LENHART'S computers when examined by the FBI.

LENHART faces possible penalties of 5-20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and lifetime supervision.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcia K. Hurd prosecuted the case for the United States.

The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.