A 23-year-old man was sentenced Wednesday to nearly 6 1/2 years in prison for possessing hundreds of files containing child pornography.
Jorden D. Knight of Vancouver was found guilty April 2 of five counts of first-degree possessing depictions of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The verdict came following a bench trial in front of Clark County Superior Court Judge Gregory Gonzales.
On March 23, 2016, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received information from Dropbox, a file hosting service, that a user was storing child pornography. The service provided 322 files and account data, which the agency used to determine that the user lived in the Vancouver area, according to an affidavit of probable cause.
The Vancouver Police Department Digital Evidence Cybercrime Unit reviewed some videos associated with the account. The videos depicted boys and girls ranging between the ages of 9 to 13 engaged in sexual conduct, the affidavit says.
An email, username and Facebook account helped investigators link the account to Knight, according to court records. The internet protocol, or IP, address used to access the Dropbox account was later traced to Knight’s mother’s and uncle’s homes, two Vancouver residences where he previously lived, court documents show.
After locating a new address, police contacted Knight on March 15, 2017. Knight told investigators he gave the Dropbox account to a friend, according to the affidavit. But when he was told that information was inconsistent with login information, he asked for a lawyer, the affidavit says.
Knight’s cellphone, laptop and two USB flash drives were seized by investigators, who found child pornography on one of the USB flash drives, court records show.
Knight faced a standard sentencing range of nearly 6 1/2 to 8 1/2 years in prison. A pre-sentence investigation recommended the lightest punishment in that range, which Knight received, while Deputy Prosecutor Meaghan McCredie had asked for three additional months.
The pre-sentence investigation found that depression and isolation may have contributed to Knight’s behavior. Knight said Wednesday that he’s spent significant time repairing relationships with family, who were disgusted with him after his arrest. Some family members and friends wrote letters on Knight’s behalf before his sentencing, according to court records.
“This case has been going on a long time. I was not a good person at the start of it,” Knight said. “I’ve done everything I’ve thought I can do so far. I just want to do more. I wish there was a different way for me to make up for my crime.”
Gonzales told Knight that it was not his custom to kick someone when they’re down.
“I can assure you that great things come with acknowledgment of a mental defect, which you have recognized, or a pattern of illegal passions,” Gonzales said. “There is hope for you.”
