North Dakota man sentenced to 9 ½ years in federal prison for receiving child pornography

FARGO, N.D. — A local man was sentenced in federal court Thursday to 9 ½ years in federal prison for receiving child pornography.

This sentence resulted from an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), and the Fargo Police Department.

Jared Tyler Allen, 28, of Fargo, was sentenced to 114 months for receiving and possessing material involving the sexual exploitation of minors. This case came to the attention of law enforcement after officers working on the North Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force discovered evidence indicating a computer in North Dakota was sharing child pornography via a peer-to-peer (P2P) network.

Investigators traced the computer to Allen's apartment located in South Fargo where task force officers seized two computers, including the computer using the P2P network. A subsequent forensic examination of the computers revealed more than 3,400 images and 175 videos depicting child pornography.

Allen's sentence will be followed by 10 years' supervised release. He must also pay $1,000 in restitution, and a $200 special assessment to the Crime Victims Fund. There is no parole in the federal prison system.

This investigation was conducted under HSI's Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators. Since the launch of Operation Predator in 2003, HSI has arrested more than 10,000 individuals for crimes against children, including producing and distributing online child pornography, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking children. In fiscal year 2013, more than 2,000 individuals were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative.

HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST.

For additional information about wanted suspected child predators, download HSI's Operation Predator smartphone app or visit the online suspect alerts page.

HSI is a founding member and current chair of the Virtual Global Taskforce, an international alliance of law enforcement agencies and private industry sector partners working together to prevent and deter online child sexual abuse.