Rock Rapids, Iowa — A Minnesota man, formerly from Larchwood, has been sentenced in connection with a sexual exploitation of a minor case.
According to the Lyon County Attorney’s Office, 31-year-old Brandon Louis Church of Medford, Minnesota, formally of Larchwood, was sentenced this week in Lyon County District Court.
According to court documents, on or about November 23rd, 2022, Mr. Church distributed a video file of a minor child engaged in a prohibited sexual act with an unknown adult male. Church distributed this video file from his Snapchat account, which was connected to secure wi-fi at his home. The activity was reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by the electronic provider Snapchat, which in turn contacted the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation.
He was originally charged with four counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and purchase or possession of a depiction of a minor in a sex act — all aggravated misdemeanors, and one count of sexual exploitation of a minor, a class D felony. The Lyon County Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case in cooperation with the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation.
This week, Church pleaded guilty in a plea bargain to four counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, purchase or possession of a depiction of a minor in a sex act, first offense, all aggravated misdemeanors. For each count, the Court sentenced him to serve 90 days, with all but 30 days suspended in the Lyon County Jail, for a total of 120 days. Church was also ordered to pay an $855 criminal fine for each count; pay a 15% surcharge; pay court costs; pay a $250 sex offense civil penalty; serve two years of probation; pay victim restitution; complete sex offender evaluation and follow all recommendations; serve a 10-year special sentence to the Iowa Department of Corrections; register as a sex offender for 10 years; and pay a $25 sex offender registration fee.
He was also sentenced to a suspended five-year prison sentence on the felony Sexual Exploitation of a Minor charge. He will also serve two years’ probation for that charge. He will also have to pay a $1,025 criminal fine; pay a 15% surcharge; pay court costs; pay a $260 sex offense civil penalty; pay victim restitution; complete sex offender evaluation and follow all recommendations; serve a 10-year special sentence to the Iowa Department of Corrections upon the completion; register as a sex offender for 10 years; and pay a $25 sex offender registration fee.
Community First Broadcasting Staff Photo
