By CHERY SABOL

The Daily Inter Lake

A former Kalispell man pleaded innocent on July 6 to federal charges of receipt and possession of child pornography.

Jeff G. Mader, now of Walla Walla, Wash., was arrested in September by the Flathead County Sheriff's Office.

Then 41, he was charged with sexual abuse of children after pornography involving children was allegedly found on his computer.

The charge is relatively rare, according to sheriff's detective Sgt. Jeanne Landis.

She said the crime doesn't come to light very often because people who possess child pornography are "really secretive about it. It takes them stepping out and molesting a child" or revealing their private possessions to someone else.

Mader was living with a woman and her 3-year-old daughter on Shefferd Lane. There was no evidence that the girl was hurt, but investigators were concerned about her presence with him. Landis said there is no indication that Mader was producing pornography himself.

The local charge was eventually dropped and federal prosecutors took over. The case was investigated by the Sheriff's Office, the FBI and the Billings Police Department.

Mader was arraigned by U.S. Magistrate Jeremiah Lynch in Missoula.

If convicted, Mader could be sentenced to five to 20 years in prison and lifetime supervision. The charge also carries a fine of up to $250,000.

He will be prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcia Hurd.