District of Idaho | Post Falls Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Child Sexual Exploitation

COEUR D’ALENE – Kevin Richmond, 63, of Post Falls, has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for the crime of sexual exploitation of children, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today. U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford sentenced Richmond to 20 years in federal prison with life supervision. Richmond was also ordered to pay $38,000 in restitution to his victims.

According to court documents, in December 2022, law enforcement received several tips that Richmond was uploading child pornography to a data storage service. Based on the tips, a federal magistrate judge issued a search warrant for Richmond’s online account. Law enforcement executed the search warrant and examined the contents of his online data storage account.

In Richmond’s online accounts, police confirmed that he was in possession of child pornography. Police also discovered that Richmond not only had child pornography in his possession, but that he also produced child pornography featuring a victim’s child.

Based on this discovery, a federal magistrate judge issued an additional search warrant, authorizing police to seize digital devices from Richmond’s Post Falls residence. Police executed the search warrant at Richmond’s residence, where they found a cell phone belonging to him. Police forensically analyzed the phone and found child pornography on the device. Police also discovered that Richmond had online communications in which he claimed to have access to a minor for sexual purposes.

Police interviewed Richmond the same day that police executed the search warrant on his home. After police warned Richmond about his Miranda rights, he agreed to an interview. During the interview, he admitted to receiving child pornography from an internet application. Richmond also admitted to producing child pornography with a real child via his cell phone. He admitted to having the child participate in a sexual act as part of a sexual fantasy. He admitted to adding the child’s name to the child pornography he produced.

“We hope for healing for the victims of this horrific case,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “Idahoans need to know that our office and our partners in law enforcement have no higher calling than protecting children, and anyone involved in child abuse should know that we will spare no effort to find them and hold them accountable, just as we did this defendant.”

“Mr. Richmond’s sentencing to federal prison for child sexual exploitation is an important step in our ongoing efforts to protect our community, especially our children, from those who pose a serious threat,” said Post Falls Police Chief Greg McLean. “This case underscores the importance of vigilance and cooperation among law enforcement agencies to ensure that those who commit such heinous crimes are held accountable.”

“It took the dedicated teamwork of ICAC and the U.S. Attorney’s Office and all of our partner agencies working together to put this predator behind bars so he can no longer hurt our children,” said Attorney General Raul Labrador. “I am grateful for the hard work of everyone involved: the prosecutors, the investigators, and the judge who clearly saw the danger our community was in.”

“The U.S. Secret Service will continue to use all the tools, resources and expertise at our disposal to ensure that individuals, like Mr. Richmond, are held accountable for crimes against children,” said Special Agent in Charge Glen T. Peterson. “The U.S. Secret Service stands firmly with our law enforcement partners, including the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Post Falls Police Department and the ICAC Task Force, as we investigate these crimes and bring these offenders to justice.”

U.S. Attorney Hurwit praised the work of the Post Falls Police Department, the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force and the U.S. Secret Service in bringing the charges.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Johnson, Kassandra McGrady and David Robins prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. As part of Project Safe Childhood, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho and the Idaho Attorney General’s Office work together to pool federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children online, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.

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