A federal jury in St. George, Utah, returned a guilty verdict on April 17 against Johnston Blackhorse, 42, of Aneth, Utah, for receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material while he was already on supervised release for a previous conviction.
The case highlights ongoing efforts to address child exploitation and enforce laws protecting vulnerable individuals. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah enforces federal laws to protect residents and promote community safety across the state, according to the official website.
Blackhorse was indicted in February with charges related to receipt and possession of child pornography. Evidence presented at trial showed that probation officers discovered a forensic wiping program had been used on his computer during a home visit in February 2025. A subsequent search revealed several deleted files containing illegal images linked to his username and internet activity. Additional evidence indicated he accessed other illicit materials stored on an unrecovered device.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak announced the verdict following the investigation by Homeland Security Investigations. Prosecutors Christopher Burton and Joseph M. Hood from the U.S. Attorney’s Office are handling the case.
Sentencing is scheduled for August 18 at the St. George courthouse.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah operates under the Department of Justice with about 85 employees, including approximately 45 assistant attorneys; it maintains offices in Salt Lake City and St. George as well as access to federal sites such as Hill Air Force Base according to its official website. The office covers all counties in Utah—including areas with national parks and Indian reservations—and manages both criminal prosecutions and civil cases according to its official website.
This prosecution was part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation online.
