LEWISTON, ID – A Lewiston man is facing five felony charges following an investigation into alleged child sexual abuse material, according to court documents filed in Nez Perce County.
Laith Andrew Aaseby, 23, is charged with five counts of sexual exploitation of a child, court records show. The charges stem from an investigation involving the Idaho Attorney General’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, the Lewiston Police Department, and the FBI.
According to court documents, investigators obtained a residential search warrant after authorities identified Aaseby as the alleged owner or user of an online account linked to material reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s CyberTipline.
The warrant was executed Feb. 11 at a Lewiston residence with assistance from state, local, and federal agencies. During the search, officers seized a cellphone and a laptop believed to belong to Aaseby.
Court documents state that investigators conducted an initial forensic review of the phone and reported locating multiple files believed to contain child sexual abuse material. According to the documents, some of the video content allegedly showed the sexual assault of infants.
Aaseby was arrested and transported to the Nez Perce County Jail on Wednesday.
A conviction for sexual exploitation of a child can lead to a prison sentence and require the offender to maintain a sex offender registration after their release. Aaseby made his initial appearance on Thursday afternoon. Bond was set at $300,000.
