RICHLAND, Wash. – A Yakima man was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison after being convicted of attempted production and possession of child pornography.
J’Lovfonte Joe, 31, will also serve five years of supervised release after his prison sentence.
According to a press release from Richland police, the investigation began in January 2021 when law enforcement “identified disturbing online activity linked to Joe involving a minor child in his care.”
Police later found digital evidence of child sexual abuse material when executing a search warrant at Joe’s residence.
Joe pleaded guilty to the charges in December 2024.
The Southeast Regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (SER-ICAC), which is coordinated by the Richland Police Department, worked alongside Homeland Security Investigations and the Yakima Police Department to investigate the case.
“This case highlights the critical partnerships between our regional task force members and federal investigators,” Richland Police Chief Martin Pilcher said. “Protecting children from online exploitation remains one of our highest priorities, and we will continue to aggressively pursue those who seek to harm them.”
