COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho – A Moscow man was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for distributing child sexual abuse material.
According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Idaho, in early 2024, police received Cybertips from an email provider. These tips indicated that someone was using their service to distribute child sexual abuse material from multiple related email addresses. The email addresses were traced to a house in Moscow where Joshua Downer, 39, a registered sex offender, lived.
The office said that in February, law enforcement searched Downer’s home. They found a tablet in his bedroom, which he was prohibited from possessing while on federal supervision. A forensic analysis of the tablet revealed numerous images and videos of child sexual abuse material. Evidence also indicated that Downer used the tablet to distribute these materials to others.
The office said that Downer will serve a lifetime of supervised release following his prison sentence. Downer is also required to pay $12,000 in restitution to four victims depicted in the images he possessed. He will continue to register as a sex offender.
“The defendant in this case earned every day of his sentence,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “Together with our law enforcement partners, our office remains focused not only on holding accountable anyone who would distribute child sexual abuse materials, but also supporting victims and seeking restitution on their behalf.”
