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Press Release

Children's Ski School Employee Charged With Child Exploitation And Possession Of Child Pornography

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Nevada

RENO, Nev. – An employee at a children’s ski school at a ski resort in South Lake Tahoe, Calif., was charged today with child exploitation and possession of child pornography, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Steven W. Myhre for the District of Nevada.

 

Stephan L. DeGraffenreid, 26, of Gardnerville, Nev., was charged with one count of sexual exploitation of a child, two counts of attempted sexual exploitation of a child, and one count of possession of child pornography. If convicted, the mandatory statutory minimum penalty is 15 years in prison for each of the sexual exploitation and attempted sexual exploitation charges.

 

According to a criminal complaint, law enforcement discovered child pornography on an Apple iPod Touch that was found at the Children’s Ski School at Heavenly Ski Resort. During the investigation, law enforcement learned the iPod belonged to DeGraffenreid who was an employee at the Children’s Ski School. During the execution of a search warrant at his residence, officers located a thumb drive that contained explicit images of children in a Gardnerville, Nev., day care facility restroom. DeGraffenreid admitted to downloading and possessing the child pornography.

 

The case is being investigated by the FBI, the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, and the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shannon M. Bryant.

 

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.

 

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Updated April 5, 2017

Topic
Project Safe Childhood
Component