Joseph Franklin Reynolds Sentenced in U.S. District Court
The United States Attorney's Office announced that during a federal court session in Missoula, on December 7, 2012, before U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen, JOSEPH FRANKLIN REYNOLDS, a 20-year-old resident of Bozeman, appeared for sentencing. REYNOLDS was sentenced to a term of:
Prison: 60 months
Special Assessment: $200
Supervised Release: 10 years
REYNOLDS was sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to transfer of obscene material to minors and receipt of child pornography.
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:
On September 21, 2011, a minor boy lost his cell phone at a skate park in Bozeman. REYNOLDS found the cell phone and contacted minor girls listed in the "Contacts" of the cell phone. He contacted a 14-year-old girl, X.X., via text, and asked her how old she was. She texted that she was 14. During their electronic communication on the cell phone, REYNOLDS messaged X.X. an image of a penis.
The Bozeman Police Department, a member of the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), investigated the case. REYNOLDS's personal cell phone and computer were seized and forensically analyzed. Images and videos depicting child pornography were located on both items.
Because there is no parole in the federal system, the "truth in sentencing" guidelines mandate that REYNOLDS will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, REYNOLDS does have the opportunity to earn a sentence reduction for "good behavior." However, this reduction will not exceed 15% of the overall sentence.
The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Bozeman Police Department, the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force and the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation.
