COEUR d'ALENE - Charley Brigham Leighton II, 41, of Hayden Lake, was sentenced Wednesday to six and a half years in prison for possession of sexually explicit images of minors.

U.S. District Court Judge Edward J. Lodge also ordered Leighton to serve 15 years of supervised release, forfeit the computers and media used in the offense, and register as a sex offender. Leighton pleaded guilty to the charge on Oct. 31.

According to the plea agreement, on May 8, 2010, an Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force investigator developed information that an Internet protocol address registered to Leighton's Hayden Lake residence was using "peer-to-peer" software to download and share digital media of child pornography, including images and video.

The investigator analyzed digital signatures of six files on the computer and was able to confirm that they contained child pornography.

A federal search warrant was executed at the residence on Aug. 26, 2010, during which investigators seized a desktop computer, a laptop computer, and several thumb-drives and DVDs.

Leighton was present during the search and agreed to speak to investigators.

He admitted that he had been downloading child pornography for at least a year and that he had downloaded more than 1,000 images of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

A forensic review of Leighton's computers, DVDs and thumb drives by the U.S. Secret Service found more than 300 photos and 40 videos of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the images were of children from Missouri, Georgia, Connecticut, Michigan, Florida, and Washington state; and France, Germany, Brazil, Belgium, England, and the Netherlands.

"Obtaining and possessing child pornography sexually exploits the children who appear in these heinous images again and again and again," said U.S. Attorney Wendy Olson. "Mr. Leighton's lengthy prison sentence sends a strong message that Idaho law enforcement, prosecutors and courts well understand that protecting our children against those who would exploit them is a critical criminal justice mission."