Federal jury convicts Pocatello man of sexual exploitation of child, receipt of child pornography
POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) – On Tuesday, after a six-day trial, a federal jury convicted 43-year-old Trenton Powell of Pocatello, of eight counts of sexual exploitation of a child and three counts of receipt of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced.
Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill presided over the trial, which began on April 25, and concluded with guilty verdicts on May 2.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Powell sexually abused the first victim for six years while living in Pocatello. Powell photographed the abuse with his iPhone. Years after the abuse ended, another of Powell’s victim reported the abuse to police. Police later seized Powell’s iPhone. After the phone was forensically examined, police recovered images of Powell sexually abusing the first victim. Both victims testified during the trial and confirmed that Powell was the man who molested them.
Powell is scheduled to be sentenced on August 15, 2023, before Judge Winmill at the federal courthouse in Pocatello. He faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years with a maximum of up to 300 years in federal prison. Judge Winmill will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Powell will be required to register as a sex offender as a result of the conviction.
“I am grateful that our office was able to prosecute this defendant for his heinous crimes and bring justice to the courageous victims,” U.S. Attorney Hurwit said. “We appreciate the jury’s service, which is especially difficult in a case like this. We stand ready to seek justice whenever our community and law enforcement partners uncover crimes against children.”
U.S. Attorney Hurwit credited the cooperative efforts of Homeland Security Investigations in Idaho Falls, the Idaho Falls Police Department, and the Pocatello Police Department, which led to the charges. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Shirts and Justin Paskett.
