BOISE, Idaho — A Burley man who was convicted on two felony counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Child by Distributing Sexually Exploitative Material has been sentenced to 25 years in prison.
According to the Idaho Attorney General's office, Tyrell Howell operated an online account that exchanged child pornography with others on the internet. Cassia County District Judge Blaine P. Cannon presided over the case.
Detective Sam Kuoha with the Rupert Police Department was alerted to Howell's illegal activities via a CyberTip in September 2024. Detective Kuoha later accessed Howell's account information via an electronic service provider. After verifying the account's owner, the detective was able to link two other CyberTips to Howell's account in 2020 and 2022.
A judge later granted search warrants that allowed authorities to search Howell's home and his electronic devices. During the search, forensic specialists uncovered instances of child pornography as well as chat logs with other individuals regarding exchanging illicit underage material.
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The illegal materials discovered in Howell's possession included "prepubescent females, as young as approximately two (2) years of age, and some of these files depicted children engaged in violent sex acts with adults."
Tyrell Howell will be eligible for parole after serving 5 years of his 25-year prison sentence. He will also be required to register as a sex offender, per Idaho law.
Detective Kuoha and the Rupert Police Department were assisted by the Cassia County Sheriff's Office, the Twin Falls County Sheriff's Office, and the Cassia County Prosecuting Attorney's Office.
“There is no place in Idaho for those who trade in the vile exploitation of children,” said Attorney General Labrador. “This sentence reflects the seriousness of the crime and the commitment of my office to protect Idaho’s most vulnerable. I am grateful for the collaborative efforts of our Internet Crimes Against Children Unit and local law enforcement in bringing this predator to justice. We will continue to pursue those who prey on children with the full weight of the law.”
