Missoula Man Sentenced to 17 Years for Child Pornography

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - 29-year-old Nicholas Combs was sentenced this week in Missoula Federal Court to 17 years in prison after admitting to trading thousands of videos and images of child pornography.

I spoke with Montana’s U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich about the sentencing, sending Combs to a lengthy term in prison.

Montana's U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich Gave Details of the Conviction

“We charged Mr. Combs with distribution of child pornography and possession of child pornography, and he was just sentenced to over 17 years in federal prison and then 15 years on supervised release, which is big, because usually it's around five years (of supervised release), so he has a long period of supervision once he is released from federal custody.”

Laslovich described the extent of Combs’ involvement in child pornography.

“The facts are he downloaded thousands of images of child pornography and really abhorrent and grotesque images and some of them quite graphic and violent and not just with minors but with infants in some of those images as well,” he said. “For people like Mr. Combs, the only place for them, in my view, is behind bars.”

Laslovich said he is Speaking to Younger Children about the Dangers of the Internet

One of the avenues that Laslovich and other law enforcement agencies use includes speaking to younger and younger children about the dangers of the internet.

“The FBI and I spoke with some fifth graders a few weeks ago just about safe online activity,” he said. “I want to do it more throughout the state so we can reach these kids who are on the cusp of having those phones and I was, frankly stunned at how sophisticated these fifth graders were when we talked to them.”

Combs will Serve all 17 Years of his Prison Sentence

According to a press release from the Montana Department of Justice, “Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian C. Lowney prosecuted the case. The Missoula Police Department and Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force conducted the investigation.”

In federal court, the guilty party must serve the entire prison term, and in the case of Nicholas Combs, he will serve all 17 years of his sentence, and then on 15 years of supervised release.