YAKIMA, WA — A Selah man has been sentenced to five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of child pornography.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington announced that Kevin Lee Towner, 61, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Rebecca L. Pennell to 60 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release. Towner pleaded guilty on April 10, 2025, after investigators discovered more than 3,000 images of child pornography at his residence during a 2020 search. Prosecutors said Towner admitted to using peer-to-peer file sharing to obtain the material.

In addition to the prison term, Towner was ordered to pay $45,000 in restitution to victims, $17,000 under the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act, and a $5,000 special assessment under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act.

“This sentence sends a powerful reminder to Mr. Towner and others like him: Crimes that exploit children cannot, and will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Pete Serrano.

The case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Murphy as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide Department of Justice program aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse.