David Colter Wiles Sentenced in U.S. District Court
| U.S. Attorney’s Office July 20, 2010 |
The United States Attorney's Office announced that during a federal court session in Missoula, on July 20, 2010, before U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy, DAVID COLTER WILES, a 27-year-old resident of Missoula, appeared for sentencing. WILES was sentenced to a term of:
- Prison: 480 months
- Special Assessment: $100
- Supervised Release: life
WILES was sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to receipt of child pornography.
In an Offer of Proof filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyndee L. Peterson, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:
In 2007, WILES was on state probation. On September 29, 2007, he was arrested for violating the rules of probation. In October 2007 (shortly after his arrest), WILES' roommate pawned a laptop computer in Missoula which had been leased by WILES. The pawned laptop computer was analyzed and contained child pornography.
During the investigation, law enforcement determined WILES previously possessed a different computer, a desktop, which had been returned to a rent-to-own business in Missoula, in exchange for the laptop computer. He rented the desktop on September 7, 2007. The desktop computer was analyzed and contained child pornography.
During an interview with law enforcement, WILES admitted he downloaded child pornography files at local establishments that provided free Internet access. WILES disclosed some of his search terms which were indicative of child pornography. He admitted he was sexually attracted to male and female children ages 6 to 10, and was sexually aroused when he viewed the child pornography. WILES indicated he had received approximately 7-1,500 child pornography images but stated he would often erase the files after he viewed them so his probation officer would not find them.
A forensic analysis of the desktop and laptop computers revealed 21 video files depicting child pornography.
Because there is no parole in the federal system, the "truth in sentencing" guidelines mandate that WILES will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, WILES does have the opportunity to earn a sentence reduction for "good behavior." However, this reduction will not exceed 15 percent of the overall sentence.
The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Missoula Police Department, and Adult Probation and Parole.