Pocatello man gets 19 felonies for possession and distribution of child porn

Joshua Christopher Tompkins | Bannock County Jail
POCATELLO — A man police say was in possession of a large cache of child pornography has been charged with 19 felonies.
Joshua Christopher Tompkins, 34, faces two counts of distributing sexually exploitative material and eight counts of possessing sexually exploitative material, court records show.
While monitoring sites known to be used in the sharing of child pornography between July and December 2022, investigators with the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force intercepted “numerous files,” according to an affidavit of probable cause. The files included both images and videos depicting child rape and bestiality.
After serving subpoenas to the internet service provider connected to the IP address linked to the files, investigators learned about several electronic devices belonging to Tompkins.
Investigators obtained a warrant on Dec. 12 to search Tompkins, his home on Onyx Drive in Pocatello and his vehicle.
The task force, Pocatello police and investigators from Homeland Security served the warrant on Dec. 14.
During the search, investigators interviewed several residents of the home and searched their electronic devices, finding nothing of evidentiary value. Tompkins declined an interview, however, according to the affidavit.
Investigators found a phone inside a room identified by other residents as belonging to Tompkins. Additionally, documents and other identifying materials were found inside the room linking it to Tompkins. According to the affidavit, the phone was running a BitTorrent program and actively downloading files at the time of discovery.
Forensics investigators were unable to unlock the phone and analyze it, so the phone was seized but no arrests were made at that time.
The phone was turned over to Idaho Falls police forensic investigators for analysis. The results of that analysis were returned to the task force on Dec. 15 and examined on Dec. 16.
According to the affidavit, the phone contained numerous images and videos of “children being sexually abused” and others depicting “obvious nude children” being tortured.
Investigators spoke with Tompkins’ estranged wife, who told them she filed for a divorce and moved out of state after finding Tompkins in possession of exploitative images of his own making. Allegations linked to those images have not been verified and are being investigated, the affidavit says.
Tompkins was arrested and taken to Bannock County Jail, where he was booked and is being held on a $100,000 bond. If he does post bond, Tompkins is not allowed to possess any electronic devices.
Though Tompkins has been charged with these crimes, it does not necessarily mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.
If he is found guilty, Tompkins could face up to 140 years in prison.
He is scheduled to appear for arraignment in district court before Judge Javier Gabiola on Feb. 6.
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Source: eastidahonews.com