Former Marion man sentenced in child-porn case

A man who admitted downloading child pornography to his cellphone was sentenced today to nine years in federal prison and 15 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Wes Brady Johnson, 49, formerly of Marion, pleaded guilty in October 2018 to possession of child porn.

Chief U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided at sentencing. Christensen also ordered $3,000 restitution.

An investigation began in September 2016 when a Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force agent received two tips that a user was uploading child porn with a Twitter account and that the account was connected to Johnson. Johnson’s cellphone was seized during a search of a Flathead County residence where he had been staying. Johnson said in an interview that he had been downloading child porn for about six months and that the files contained sexually explicit images of prepubescent girls.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyndee Peterson prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Flathead County Sheriff’s Office and Montana Division of Criminal Investigation.