Hill gets 6 ½ years for child porn; 15 felony charges dismissed

Published 7:40 am Friday, March 22, 2019

Evan Jon Hill, 25, of Austin was sentenced to 78 months in the Minnesota Correctional Facility in St. Cloud for felony dissemination of  child pornography by a registered predatory offender. He received credit for 259 days served.

Evan Jon Hill, 25

He received a concurrent sentence of 60 months in prison for a second charge of felony dissemination of child pornography by a registered predatory offender.

Additional concurrent sentences includes 75 months and 72 months in prison for two counts of felony possession of child pornography by a registered predatory offender.

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Eight counts of felony possession of child pornography by a registered predatory offender and seven counts of felony dissemination of child pornography by a registered predatory offender were dismissed as part of a plea agreement reached in February.

Judge Jeffrey Kritzer issued the sentences.

Court documents state that an Austin police officer and Department of Corrections Agent were dispatched on July 4, 2018, to a residence in the 700 block of Eighth Avenue Northeast to obtain a drug test from Hill, a level 3 predatory offender who was on probation for a prior felony child pornography conviction.

They observed a cell phone charger hanging from an outlet in Hill’s room. Under the terms of Hill’s probation, he is not allowed access to cell phones or any devices capable of accessing the internet without permission. When asked why he had the charger, Hill said he got it from someone and was going to give it to a roommate.

When asked where the cell phone was, Hill said it was hidden under a couch cushion in the living room. Hill admitted the phone contained pornographic images of minors and said they were put on there before he went to prison. Hill was then arrested and the cell phone seized.

On July 5, while at the Mower County Jail, Hill admitted to ownership of the phone. He told a detective that there were multiple pornographic images and videos of children in a secret folder on the phone and that he obtained most of the material from “someone” on a “Kick Messenger” application. The detective obtained a search warrant on the phone so a forensic investigator could look at the material.

Hill’s cell phone was turned over to an agent with the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, who advised that he found numerous images of children engaged in sexual acts. In all, 83 images and nine videos depicting child pornography or nude children were found on the phone.

A review of Hill’s criminal record shows prior convictions for theft, assault and possession of pornographic work involving minors.

In addition to the sentence, Hill must also pay $85 in fees.