Sex offender accused of possessing child porn

COEUR d’ALENE — A registered sex offender is being held on $500,000 bail after police said they found him in possession of child pornography.

John T. Pritchett, 41, is charged with seven counts of sexual exploitation of a child by possession of sexually explicit material, all felonies.

In May 2020, investigators with the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children task force received a tip that child pornography had been uploaded to Pritchett’s Twitter account.

After reviewing the images that accompanied the report, police determined they were child pornography, according to court documents.

Police were unable to locate Pritchett, who was reportedly transient, but made contact with him last month.

When questioned by police, Pritchett allegedly said someone sent him the images via Twitter. He said he never reported the images to Twitter or law enforcement.

Police seized Pritchett’s cellphone as evidence and obtained a search warrant. The phone allegedly contained multiple images of nude children and children performing sex acts.

Pritchett’s Google Drive account allegedly contained hundreds of images of child pornography, police said.

A judge issued a warrant for Pritchett’s arrest on March 23. He was taken into custody the same day.

Judge James Combo ordered March 24 that Pritchett be held on $500,000 bail.

Pritchett pleaded guilty in 2004 to assault with intent to commit a serious felony (rape) in Bonner County. He is a registered sex offender, according to court documents.

A judge sentenced him to two years fixed and five years indeterminate in the assault case.

Pritchett is reportedly on probation after pleading guilty to misdemeanor battery in 2020.