Acting U.S. Attorney Gregory G. Brooker Friday announced a federal indictment charging a 38-year-old Blaine man with production and possession of child pornography.
Scott Francis Fortier, 38, was indicted Wednesday and will make his initial appearance in U.S. District Court later this week.
According to the indictment and documents filed in court, Fortier was associated for many years with Circle R Ranch, a co-ed horseback riding camp located in Todd County. Through his involvement with the camp, Fortier met a 17-year-old minor (Minor Victim 1). On Sept. 9, 2016, Fortier invited Minor Victim 1 and her 15-year-old friend (Minor Victim 2) to his house in Blaine, where he allegedly gave them both alcohol and induced the two minors to engage with him in sexually explicit conduct. Fortier used his cell phone to produce multiple videos of the victims engaged in that activity. In addition, Fortier also possessed on his computer videos of prepubescent minors engaging is sexually explicit conduct.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. attorney's offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. Visit www.justice.gov/psc for more information about Project Safe Childhood.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol M. Kayser.
