Rathdrum man gets 6 years on child porn charges

COEUR d’ALENE — A 48-year-old Rathdrum man was sentenced Tuesday to six years in prison for charges stemming from his possession of child pornography.

Michael John Brandal, who is eligible for parole after two years, was charged with three felony counts of possession of sexually exploitative materials. According to a press release from the Kootenai County Prosecutor's Office, Brandal was charged with the felonies after an investigation by the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force revealed he had downloaded child pornography.

"On Dec. 18, 2014, officers searched Brandal’s residence and seized his computer," the release states. "An analysis of his computer revealed hundreds of images of children of different ages and various states of undress. Ultimately, Brandal admitted having downloaded the images from the internet."

The release adds the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force is a statewide coalition of local, state and federal law enforcement and prosecution agencies, focused on apprehending and prosecuting individuals who use the internet to criminally exploit children.

"These are highly disturbing cases involving vulnerable children and offensive conduct," Kootenai County Prosecutor Barry McHugh said in the release. "The sentence was tailored to provide Mr. Brandal with programs designed to give him the tools necessary to avoid further inappropriate conduct. If Mr. Brandal cannot successfully complete the programs and provide the Department of Corrections with assurances that he can successfully complete a period of supervised probation without committing further crimes, he will remain in prison for the full term of his sentence."