GREAT FALLS — A Havre man, who admitted receiving child pornography on his cell phone, was sentenced in federal court in Great Falls on Wednesday.
Kaupang, 38, pleaded guilty on June 3 to receipt of child pornography.
Prosecutors alleged that in January 2019 in Havre, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on Kaupang’s cell phone looking for evidence in a theft case.
While searching the phone, agents found child pornography files. An agent applied for a second search warrant and located child pornography.
The investigation determined that Kaupang used his phone to view “sets” of child pornography that were available for download.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian Morris presided, and sentenced Kaupang to nine years in prison, followed by eight years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Leif Johnson said in a news release.
Judge Morris also ordered $27,000 restitution to victims.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyndee Peterson prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Montana Department of Justice’s Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Havre Police Department.
