An Idaho man was arrested on child porn charges in 2019. Now he has his prison sentence.

Sep. 8—Editor's note: This story contains graphic content that could be upsetting to some readers.

An Idaho man who was accused of plotting to kidnap and rape a child has been sentenced to federal prison for possessing and distributing child pornography.

Colton Dune Turner, a 20-year-old Middleton resident, will spend the next 12 years in prison and will have 25 years of supervised release afterward, according to a news release from the Idaho U.S. Attorney's Office. In April, Turner pleaded guilty to one count of distributing and one count of possessing child pornography.

In November 2019, Turner was 18 when he was first arrested in Canyon County and charged in state court for possessing thousands of child pornography images while he allegedly plotted online to sexually abuse a child. Months earlier, in July 2019, the online platform MeWe had reported that three accounts on the website were used to distribute child porn, causing an investigation to begin, according to the U.S Attorney's Office.

A probable cause affidavit indicated that Turner had online conversations about sexually abusing children younger than 10. Turner also asked others online to "come rape a girl with me," according to previous Idaho Statesman reporting.

Investigators carried out a search warrant on Turner's home and said they found more than 2,000 child porn images on his phone. The pictures consisted of children ranging from ages 6 to 10 being sexually abused. Police also found "one thick black rope, one thin black paracord rope, a roll of black tape, handcuffs, a pink bandanna, one container of personal lubricant, and one container of female sexual stimulating gel" in Turner's home, according to previous Statesman reporting.

In December 2019, a federal grand jury indicted Turner on similar charges, leading to the state charges being dismissed.

Federal authorities accused Turner of not only possessing and distributing the illicit material, but also creating it. Turner was accused of engaging with a juvenile in "sexually explicit conduct" in July 2019 while taking photos and videos.

However, a single count of sexual exploitation of children was dropped as part of a plea deal Turner signed on April 13. In return for his plea, prosecutors also dismissed single counts of transporting and possessing child porn, as well as two counts of distributing child porn.

Turner was sentenced Wednesday in federal court in Boise, according to the news release. In addition to the prison time, Turner must also pay $57,000 in restitution and register as a sex offender.

"This is a particularly egregious case involving an adult using an online platform to exploit dozens of children," acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Idaho Rafael Gonzalez said in the release.

Gonzalez thanked the members of law enforcement who investigated Turner's crimes, including Middleton police, the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Canyon County Prosecutor's Office.

NEED TO REPORT ABUSE OR SEEK HELP?

To report suspected sexual exploitation of a child, visit icacidaho.org or report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678.

To seek help educating children about online safety and personal boundaries, visit kidsmartz.org or request a presentation from ICAC at icacidaho.org/request-a-presentation.

The Faces of Hope Victim Center is available for victims in need of emergency services at 417 S. 6th St. in Boise. Victims should call 911 in emergencies or call 208-577-4400 on weekdays during business hours. Faces of Hope provides free medical care and forensic examinations for victims, as well as assistance with filing police reports and mental health care.

Survivors who may need help are also encouraged to contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673.

___

(c)2021 The Idaho Statesman (Boise, Idaho)

Visit The Idaho Statesman (Boise, Idaho) at www.idahostatesman.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.