LEWISTON, ID – A Lewiston man is facing seven felony charges following an investigation into the online distribution and possession of child sexual abuse material, according to court records filed in Nez Perce County this week.

Andrew I. House, 29, has been charged with five counts of sexual exploitation of a child and two counts of sexual abuse of a child under the age of sixteen. The charges stem from a months-long investigation initiated by tips submitted to law enforcement from an online messenger app.

According to law enforcement, the tips were linked to two Kik Messenger accounts traced back to House’s residence. Investigators identified five videos depicting child sexual abuse material, some of which were distributed to others.  Police say the videos show explicit sexual contact involving children estimated to be as young at 6-years-old.

Court records say search warrants and IP records confirmed the connection between the accounts and House’s Lewiston address. During a subsequent interview, House allegedly admitted to saving, viewing, and sharing some of the illegal material. Police say he also knowingly solicited two people for sex online that he believed to be children.

House was taken into custody on Tuesday and booked into the Nez Perce County Jail.  He appeared in court on Wednesday and bond was set at $250,000.  He was also ordered to have no contact with minors.  A preliminary hearing has been set for June 25.