BOISE — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (U.S. Attorneys (USAO)), published as received.

BOISE – Cody Michael Howells, 35, of Weiser, was sentenced to 168 months in federal prison for possessing child sexual abuse material, Acting U.S. Attorney Justin Whatcott announced today.

According to court records, the investigation began when the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (“ICAC”) received CyberTip reports from an online social media platform. A CyberTip is a report submitted to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). NCMEC gathers leads and tips regarding suspected online crimes against children and forwards them to the appropriate law enforcement agencies. ICAC determined that numerous files of child sexual abuse material had been uploaded to an account, later identified as belonging to Howells. ICAC subsequently executed a federal search warrant at Howell’s residence in Weiser. During an interview, Howells admitted to viewing child sexual abuse material. ICAC located additional files of child sexual abuse material on Howell’s cellphone. At the time, Howells was on parole for Lewd Conduct with a Minor Under 16.

Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also sentenced Howells to lifetime supervised release following his prison sentence and ordered him to pay $30,000 in restitution to victims in the images he possessed. Howells will be required to register as a sex offender as a result of the conviction.

Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott commended the work of the Idaho ICAC Task Force, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the Rupert Police Department, and the Weiser Police Department, which led to the charge. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Robins prosecuted the case.

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.  As part of Project Safe Childhood, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho and the Idaho Attorney General’s Office partner to marshal 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. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

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