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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Duncan may face child porn charges

Taryn Brodwater Staff writer

Joseph Edward Duncan may face several federal charges for felonies he allegedly committed in Montana while holding Dylan and Shasta Groene captive, including production of child pornography, the Idaho U.S. Attorney’s office said Friday.

The office is waiting to file charges in the kidnappings of both children and the death of Dylan Groene until the state’s murder case against Duncan is finished. Other felony charges may be filed in connection with those crimes, U.S. Attorney spokeswoman Jean McNeil said.

“We’re talking about the kidnapping of two young children and the death of one of them and the absolute victimization of both of them,” McNeil said.

Duncan pleaded not guilty last month to charges of first-degree murder and kidnapping in the deaths of the children’s mother, Brenda Groene; their brother, Slade Groene; and Brenda Groene’s boyfriend, Mark McKenzie. A trial is set for January.

The state originally charged Duncan with two counts of first-degree kidnapping for allegedly abducting Shasta and Dylan Groene from the scene of the triple homicide. He allegedly took the children to Montana’s Lolo National Forest, where they were subjected to repeated sexual molestation.

The state dropped the kidnapping charges in connection with the abduction of Shasta and Dylan Groene so the U.S. Attorney for the District of Idaho could pursue federal kidnapping charges and charges in the death of Dylan Groene, whose remains were found at a remote Montana campsite.

McNeil said she couldn’t comment on evidence in the case or the basis for the possible child porn charges. But, she noted, there were “cameras of various kinds” in Duncan’s stolen Jeep Cherokee.

According to court documents, authorities seized a digital camera, a digital video camera, a laptop computer, DVDs and digital memory cards from the Jeep.

In obtaining a warrant to search the computer, cameras and memory cards, sheriff’s Detective Brad Maskell said they might hold evidence of homicide, kidnapping, child sexual abuse and possession of child pornography.