I.F. man pleads guilty in child porn investigation

An Idaho Falls man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Pocatello Thursday to charges of accessing with intent to view child pornography. Thomas Wayne Anderson, 57, was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 28, 2017. Acting U.S. Attorney Rafael Gonzalez said that under a plea agreement, Anderson was originally apprehended in connection with a series of vandalism at recreational sites managed by the Bureau of Land Management. Using a search warrant, authorities searched Anderson’s laptop computer and found screen captures of child pornography that appeared to be from videos depicting child pornography. Anderson admitted in court to using online video conferencing services to view child pornography with other people. The charge is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000 and up to a life-term of supervised release. He will be sentenced before U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill at the federal courthouse in Pocatello November 20. The case was investigated by the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Bureau of Land Management. The case is part of Project Safe Childhood. The nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. It is designed to prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and to identify and rescue victims.