Spokanite Gets 6 1/2-Year Prison Term In Porn Case Eric Butler Pleaded Guilty To Three Counts Under New Federal Child Porn Law

A Spokane man who became the first person convicted under a new federal child pornography law will serve 6 1/2 years in federal prison.

Eric R. Butler, 45, was arrested last November at a motel in Enterprise, Ore., during a sting operation carried out by postal inspectors and a child pornography task force.

His arrest came after he had responded to an advertisement in a magazine that is popular with pedophiles, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Johnson.

After brief correspondence, Butler agreed to travel to Oregon to teach sexual techniques to three children of a woman who really was a police officer.

Butler was videotaped secretly at the motel, where he showed various sexual devices to the woman, who said her children were in the next room.

But there were no children, and Butler was arrested.

Rather than face trial, Butler pleaded guilty on March 1 in Spokane to three counts of traveling interstate with the intent to engage in sex acts with children.

A fourth count of sexual exploitation of children was dismissed as part of a plea bargain between Butler and federal prosecutors.

The video of Butler’s conversation and the sexual devices were shown to U.S. District Judge Fred Van Sickle at the sentencing hearing last week.

Butler said he had gone to Oregon in an attempt to identify a child molester, whom he claimed he was going to turn in to authorities.

Butler faced a sentencing range of 70 to 87 months in prison and could have been fined up to $125,000.

The judge did not impose a fine but ordered Butler to complete three years of supervised release after he gets out of prison.

During that time, Butler must have no contact with children under age 18 without supervision. He also must submit to lie detector tests and complete counseling and searches, if ordered.

, DataTimes