Missoula man pleads guilty to child pornography charges

MISSOULA - A Missoula man who distributed Child Sex Abuse Material (CSAM) through social media admitted to charges today, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.

Derek Allen Moderie, 41, pleaded guilty to two counts of distributing child pornography. Moderie faces up to 40 years in prison, a lifetime of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and approximately $50,000 in special assessments.

U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer presided and will determine a sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for a later date. Moderie remained in custody pending further proceedings.

The government alleged in court documents that tips from Google and Instagram to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children in the spring of 2024 identified Moderie as a user possibly distributing Child Sex Abuse Material on their platforms.

Law enforcement sought a warrant and searched Moderie's Gmail and Instagram accounts, where they found evidence that he had distributed illicit material between February and June 2024. Investigators learned prior tips in 2023 had also identified Moderie. They obtained a search warrant for Moderie's Missoula home where they discovered emails in which he had traded CSAM with others online.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Lowney is prosecuting the case. The Missoula Police Department and the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation.