POST FALLS, ID – A 26-year-old north Idaho man has been indicted on federal charges related to child sexual abuse, U.S. authorities announced Monday.
Zachary Dean Perpinan, of Post Falls, faces charges of Sexual Exploitation of a Child, Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Materials, and Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Materials, according to the indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Coeur d’Alene.
The investigation began with a Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), undercover operation on the dark web. Investigators identified an individual posting images of child sexual abuse, in some cases stating the child was five or six years old. The source of the images was traced to Perpinan’s residence in Post Falls.
On October 10, 2025, HSI and the Post Falls Police Department executed a federal search warrant at the residence. Authorities found Perpinan and a six-year-old girl at the home. Perpinan was arrested, and investigators seized multiple electronic devices containing numerous child sexual abuse images and videos, including material depicting the six-year-old.
If convicted, Perpinan faces a minimum of 15 and a maximum of 30 years in federal prison for Sexual Exploitation of a Child, five to 20 years for Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Materials, and up to 20 years for Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Materials. Sentencing will be determined by a federal judge under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
U.S. Attorney Bart Davis commended the Post Falls Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations for their work in the case.
