A 30-year-old Columbia Falls man pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of a child in U.S. District Court in Missoula on Dec. 16.
Todd Louis Pajnich faces a minimum of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine after admitting that he asked a 10-year-old girl to send him sexually explicit images.
According to court documents, Pajnich began talking to the minor in January. Four months later, Facebook reported Pajnich to authorities. Law enforcement found that Pajnich knew the girl was underage and had asked for and received sexually explicit images of the girl.
Homeland Security, the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force investigated the case.