A Belgrade man facing multiple felony charges is accused of producing and distributing sexually explicit images of minors, according to U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich.
According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Montana, on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024, 35-year-old Tyrell Forest Anderson pleaded not guilty to three counts of production of child pornography, four counts of distribution of child pornography and two counts of transfer of obscene material to a minor.
According to the release, Anderson, also of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, allegedly coerced three minor girls to produce sexually explicit images of themselves on separate occasions in Laurel and Bozeman in 2023 to March 2024.
The release says in February 2024, Anderson allegedly distributed sexually explicit images of minors to two other minor girls and one minor boy “using a computer and the internet.” He allegedly also sent obscene images via Snapchat to two minors in Bozeman.
Anderson was detained pending further proceedings. If he is convicted of the most serious charges, he faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years to 30 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to a lifetime of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided over the arraignment. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the Bozeman Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations.
