Montana man sentenced to more than 11 years in federal prison for receiving child pornography

HELENA, Mont. — A Montana man was sentenced Wednesday to more than 11 years in federal prison for receiving child pornography, announced the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana.

This investigation was a cooperative effort among the following agencies:  the Helena Police Department, the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, FBI, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigation (HSI), Lewis and Clark County (Montana) Sheriff’s Office, East Helena Police Department, and the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation.

Richard Charles Saari, 33, of East Helena, was sentenced April 12 to 135 months in federal prison, lifetime supervised release, and a special assessment of $100 by Senior U.S. District Judge Charles C. Lovell. In addition, Saari was also required to pay a $5,000 assessment for the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015.

Saari was sentenced in connection with his Nov. 16, 2016, guilty plea to receiving child pornography. This case stemmed from an investigation initiated in August 2015 by a Helena Police Detective assigned to the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Investigators determined that Saari met a minor female online and then enticed the child into sending him sexually explicit images of herself via cellphone. After the child was interviewed, agents seized an electronic storage device from Saari’s East Helena home and found multiple images of child pornography. The images were organized in electronic subfolders on the storage device, each labeled with the first and last name of the female.  Agents determined Saari received the images via his cellphone and then downloaded the files to the external hard drive. Agents identified several of the females depicted in the files and determined 11 of them were under the age of 18. Saari received the images of child pornography between about December 2013 and September 2015.

FBI Supervisory Senior Resident Agent Rick Shelbourn stated: “The Helena Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force works tirelessly to ensure communities are safe from offenders who prey on our children. This case reflects the success of that collaborative effort and the commitment to protect society’s most vulnerable from those who exploit them.”

Because there is no parole in the federal system, the "truth in sentencing" guidelines mandate that Saari will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, Saari does have the opportunity to earn a sentence reduction for "good behavior." However, this reduction will not exceed 15 percent of the overall sentence.

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 14,000 individuals for crimes against children, including the production and distribution of online child pornography, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children. In fiscal year 2015, nearly 2,400 individuals were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative and more than 1,000 victims identified or rescued.

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. From outside the U.S. and Canada, callers should dial 802-872-6199. Hearing impaired users can call TTY 802-872-6196.

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.