A Meridian man on Tuesday pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to a federal felony charge of attempted sexual exploitation of children.
Prosecutors say in September 2009, Timothy Shawn Anderson, 30, chatted online with who he thought was a 15-year-old girl. He was actually chatting with an Ada County Sheriff’s Office detective.
Over five weeks, the online chats included explicitly sexual dialogue. Anderson was arrested when he showed up to meet the girl. He had a digital camera and memory cards with him.
Anderson admitted that he had intended to take pictures of the girl in various sexual poses. Detectives found child pornography on Anderson’s home computers.
The federal charge carries a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 15 years in prison without parole, and a maximum sentence of 30 years, a fine of up to $250,000 and supervised release.
Anderson will be sentenced in July.
Porn In The Valley 