Pierz Man Sentenced for Possessing Child Pornography

MINNEAPOLIS—Earlier today in federal court, a 49-year-old man from the northern Minnesota community of Pierz was sentenced for possessing child pornography. United States District Court Judge John R. Tunheim sentenced James Daniel Jaschke to 120 months in prison on one count of possession of child pornography. Jaschke was indicted on June 15, 2010, and pleaded guilty on January 12, 2011.

In his plea agreement, Jaschke admitted that between August 31 and September 23, 2009, he possessed two video tapes that contained visual depictions of a girl under the age of 12 engaged in sexually explicit activity. He further admitted the tapes, which included between 150 and 300 images, portrayed sadistic or masochistic conduct or other depictions of violence. This case was the result of an investigation by the Morrison County Sheriff’s Office, the Morrison County Department of Social Services, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The U.S. Department of Justice is committed to combating the sexual exploitation of children, particularly via the Internet. For more information about these efforts, please visit the Department’s Project Safe Childhood website, at www.projectsafechildhood.gov.