Libby man facing 40 years in prison; Brossman indicted Jan. 21 on child pornography charges

A Libby man is facing life in prison after being charged with two federal felonies related to child pornography.

Rodney Lee Brossman was indicted by a federal grand jury Jan. 21, 2016, on one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. If convicted on both charges, Brossman could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison and $250,000 in fines for each count.

According to the indictment, which had been sealed until Brossman’s initial appearance before United States Magistrate Judge Jeremiah C. Lynch Feb. 9, Brossman knowingly distributed child pornography in November 2013 and was found to have an image of a pornographic image of a child under the age of 12 in his possession between November 2013 and February 2014.

“The grand jury charges that on or about Nov. 30, 2013, in Libby, in the state and district of Montana, the defendant, Rodney Lee Brossman, knowingly distributed a visual depiction using any means of facility of interstate commerce, including by computer, and the production of such visual depiction involved the use of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct and the visual depiction of such conduct, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 2252(a)(2) and (b),” the indictment read. “Count II: Between on or about Nov. 20, 2013, and on or about Feb. 27, 2014, in Libby, in the state and district of Montana, and elsewhere, the defendant, Rodney Lee Brossman, knowingly possessed an image of child pornography, depicting a prepubescent minor or a minor who had not attained 12 years of age, that had been mailed, shipped and transported in interstate and foreign commerce by any means, including by computer, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 2252(a)(5)(B) and (b)(2).”

Brossman appeared in United States District Court in Missoula Feb. 9, 2016, represented by attorney Peter Lacny, and entered pleas of not guilty on both counts. A pre-trial conference was set for Feb. 17.