Post Falls man sentenced to prison for child sexual exploitation – Theforgegastown

COEUR d’ALENE — A man who possessed and created child pornography will spend decades in federal prison.

Kevin Richmond, 63, of Post Falls, has pleaded guilty in federal court to child sexual exploitation.

Federal Judge Amanda K. Brailsford sentenced Richmond to 20 years in prison, followed by a maximum term of life in prison. Richmond was also ordered to pay $38,000 in restitution to his victims, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

“Mr. Richmond’s sentencing to federal prison for child sexual exploitation is an important step in our ongoing efforts to protect our community, and especially our children, from those who pose a serious threat,” Post Falls Police Chief Greg McLean said in a news release. “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 for their actions.”

The charges date back to late 2022, when a cloud storage service provider notified police that a user, later identified as Richmond, had uploaded child pornography material to his account.

Police obtained a search warrant for the contents of Richmond’s cloud storage account. The search yielded more than 500 videos and images depicting child sexual abuse, according to court records, including documents that appeared to have been produced by Richmond.

A federal judge has issued an additional search warrant authorizing police to seize digital devices from Richmond’s Post Falls residence. Police said an analysis of Richmond’s cellphone yielded additional evidence of child sexual abuse.

When questioned by police, Richmond admitted to being in possession of child pornography, which he allegedly received via social media and the messaging platform Telegram.

Court documents show Richmond also admitted to producing child pornography material involving a real child.

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

“We hope that the victims of this horrific case can heal,” Hurwit said in a news release. “Idahoans need to know that our office and our partners in law enforcement have no higher mission than to protect children, and anyone who abuses children needs to know that we will spare no effort to find them and hold them accountable, just like this suspect.”

If you or someone you know is a victim of sexual abuse, call the Safe Passage Violence Prevention Center’s 24-hour helpline: 208-664-9303.