Bonneville County Man Sentenced to Prison for Possessing Child Pornography

[BOISE] - Attorney General Raúl Labrador has announced that Jason Arthur Bergener, 44, was convicted of two counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Child by Possession of Sexually Exploitative Material (Child Pornography). The Possession of Sexually Exploitative Material is a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Bergener was sentenced on October 1, 2024, by Bonneville County District Judge Dane Watkins.

Judge Watkins sentenced Bergener to a total of ten years with three years fixed and seven years indeterminate. Bergener was also ordered to pay a fine, court costs, and to the victims' relief fund. He will have to remain registered as a sex offender pursuant to Idaho law.

"Our ICAC investigators and prosecutors work hard to deliver justice for these tragically young victims of such disturbing crimes," said Attorney General Labrador. "I'm grateful for the partnerships that have been built across the state and the awareness raised across the state, and for the judges who take these crimes seriously when determining sentences. Protecting our community is a team effort, and we've built a great team."

In approximately August 2023, the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit received a CyberTip that files containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) were being uploaded to a cloud account from a phone number associated with Bergener. After obtaining search warrants, officers searched Bergener's devices, locating several files containing CSAM. Of the files found, many depicted minor females ranging from approximately toddler age up to twelve (12) years old, including some files showing torture and bondage.

The investigation was led by Detective Jared Mendenhall with the Idaho Falls Police Department, who serves in the Attorney General's ICAC Unit. The case was prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Madison Allen.