Former Ellsworth Airforce Base Airman Sentenced for Child Pornography

RAPID CITY - A former Ellsworth Air Force Base airman caught with child pornography has been sent to prison.

Twenty-eight-year-old Cassidy Harwell, of Kent, Wash., and his attorney had sought a sentence of probation, saying Harwell was interested in legal pornography and that resulted in him being bombarded online with child porn.

Prosecutor Gina Nelson said Harwell was caught with more than 300 videos of child pornography on his computer, some showing children as young as 3 years old. She said, "you just don't go out and get these. You have to use specific terms."

Judge Janine Kern ordered Harwell to serve five years in the State Penitentiary.

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