Bail reduced in child porn case

SANDPOINT — A Sandpoint man accused of possessing child pornography and methamphetamine has been released on reduced bail despite objections from a special prosecutor in the case.

Jerry Allan Horner’s defense counsel, Jeremy Featherston, argued his client’s bail should be reduced because he is a landowner with ties to the community and not a flight risk. Prosecutor Josh Studor disagreed and countered that the case against Horner is solid and could result in up to 180 years in prison if convicted.Featherston requested $25,000 bail, but Judge Barbara Buchanan would go no lower than $50,000, court records from the Dec. 12 hearing indicate. Conditions of his release forbid him from accessing computer devices, the Internet or any form of pornography. He’s also not allowed to have unsupervised contact with anybody under the age of 18 and must submit to drug testing while the case is pending.

Horner, 48, made bail on Tuesday, court documents show.Horner attracted the attention of the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force in May, after he allegedly offered for download a seven-minute vide of a prepubescent girl and an adult male engaged in sex.

Horner is accused of offering that and several other videos depicting child pornography through a peer-to-peer computer file-sharing network. The task force executed a search warrant at Horner’s home last month, which led to the discovery of drugs and five more child porn videos on a computer.Horner is charged with six counts of sharing child pornography and five counts of possessing child porn. He’s further charged with possession of meth, marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

A preliminary hearing in the case is set for Jan. 9, 2013.