Hardin Man Faces Decades in Prison After Child Exploitation Plea

A Hardin man has pleaded guilty in federal court to possessing child pornography, federal prosecutors announced.

Randall Allen Flatlip, 36, entered a plea to a single federal count of possession of child sexual abuse material.

Faces Up to 20 Years in Prison

Flatlip faces up to 20 years in federal prison, along with fines and a mandatory period of supervised release after any prison term.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy C. Cavan presided over the plea hearing. U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer will impose the sentence.

Flatlip remains in custody while awaiting that decision.

Investigation Began With an Online Tip in 2022

The case traces back to the summer of 2022, when authorities received a tip about child sexual abuse material being uploaded to an online account.

Investigators linked the account to Flatlip through subscriber records connected to a Hardin address. A later review of related accounts showed that files had been deleted before the search warrant was served.

A witness also told investigators they had seen Flatlip viewing similar material on electronic devices, according to court records.

Flatlip Previously Charged in Utah

Court records show Flatlip previously faced similar charges in Utah, though that case did not end in a conviction.

FBI and BIA Led Investigation

The FBI and the Bureau of Indian Affairs jointly investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno Baucus is handling the prosecution.

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The case was brought under Project Safe Childhood, a Justice Department program that works to identify offenders and protect child victims of online exploitation.