The United States Attorney's Office announced that during a federal court session in Missoula, on January 21, 2011, before U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy, TACEE SUE SWAPP, a 29-year-old resident of Missoula, pled guilty to possession of child pornography and transportation of obscene matters. Sentencing has been set for April 29, 2011. She is currently released on special conditions.

In an Offer of Proof filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyndee L. Peterson, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:

A Missoula Police Department detective investigated computer users sharing child pornography files over the Internet. In December 2009, he found that SWAPP had been downloading files depicting images of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct and stories vividly describing the sexual abuse of children and other indecent subjects over the Internet. She used the Google search engine and the file sharing program LimeWire.

She admitted to seeking out the items, stating that her intent was to find images of father figures acting authoritatively over others. She stated the best way to find these father figures was to look for child pornography because the age discrepancy is so obvious. She also stated she knew it was wrong to have such images in her possession. The incest stories were received between April and November 2009, and the files depicting child pornography were created and possessed between April and December 2009.

SWAPP faces possible penalties of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and lifetime supervision.

The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Missoula Police Department, the Missoula County Sheriff's Office and the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation.

A copy of the Offer of Proof can be obtained by contacting Sally Frank at (406) 247-4638.

 

 

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