Blackfoot man gets prison time after admitting to having over 600 files of child pornography

BLACKFOOT – A 26-year-old man was sentenced to situation Monday aft pleading blameworthy to possessing a ample magnitude of kid pornography.

District Judge Darren Simpson sentenced Devin Thomas Balmer to a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 10 years successful prison, according to a news merchandise from nan Office of nan Attorney General.

RELATED | Blackfoot man arrested aft allegedly having complete 600 files of kid porn

Balmer was besides ordered to salary reimbursement to Bingham County and will person to registry arsenic a activity offender.

Balmer initially pleaded not blameworthy to 10 felony counts of willfully possessing aliases accessing kid sexually exploitative material. He later signed a plea agreement, agreeing to plead blameworthy to 2 charges successful speech for nan prosecution dropping nan remaining counts.

According to nan tribunal documents, connected Aug. 3, 2023, a rule enforcement serviceman from nan Idaho Attorney General’s Internet Crimes Against Children Unit was assigned to analyse a extremity from nan National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Investigators had reportedly recovered uploaded files that included kid pornography from an a man later identified arsenic Balmer.

After further investigation, officers discovered astir 668 files, 23 of them videos. Two abstracted Gmail accounts were besides utilized to upload nan files.

On Nov. 8, pinch assistance from nan Bingham County Sheriff’s Office, nan Blackfoot Police Department, nan ICAC Unit, nan Pocatello Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations, a hunt warrant was executed astatine Balmer’s residence.

During nan search, officers recovered a machine containing hundreds of files of kid intersexual maltreatment worldly and kid intersexual exploitative material, according to tribunal documents.

There were aggregate videos showing children arsenic young arsenic 10 years old, pinch immoderate of nan files making love backmost to Oct. 17, 2021, documents said. Additional electronics were seized astatine nan scene.

Balmer was taken to nan Bingham County Sheriff’s Office for an interview. He answered a fewer questions without an lawyer astir wherever he lived, documents said. The question and reply was concluded erstwhile officers began to inquire him astir his email accounts, and he requested an attorney.

Balmer was arrested and booked into nan Bannock County Jail.