Hutchinson Man Sentenced For Child Pornography Crimes

A Hutchinson man has been sentenced after he pleaded guilty to producing and receiving child pornography. At the U.S. District Court in St. Paul on Thursday, Jeremy David Mount, 41, was sentenced to 21 years and 10 months in jail for the crimes.

Homeland Security Investigations received a tip from an undercover officer with the Kent Police Department in the United Kingdom regarding an individual who was sharing child pornography images online, according to the District of Minnesota U.S. Attorney’s Office. After receiving the information in February 2016, HSI obtained and executed a search warrant of Mount’s apartment in Hutchinson.

Law enforcement officials recovered dozens of images that Mount traded and possessed using a computer and email account. He also had a cell phone containing several dozen images of a preschool-age child to whom he had access.

Mount was charged with one count of receiving child pornography and one count of production and attempted production of child pornography. In addition to the 262 month prison sentence, he will also receive 20 years of supervised release.

“This case exemplifies what can be achieved when law enforcement agencies- nationally and internationally- work together to stop a predator,” said Assistant United States Attorney Katharine Buzicky, in a statement. “These are some of the most difficult types of cases to work, but seeing defendants, like Jeremy Mount, receive just sentences and knowing that one more child is safe from harm makes it all worthwhile.”

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.

If you know of any child who may have been a victim of exploitation, please contact the National Center for Missing or Exploited Children (NCMEC) at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or visit NCMEC’s web site at www.missingkids.com.

The Hutchinson Police Department and McLeod County Attorney’s Office assisted with the case.