An Otsego man was sentenced to 125 months in prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release, ordered to pay $65,000 in restitution, $17,000 to the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography fund, and $5,000 to the Domestic Trafficking Victims’ fund, for possession of images and videos depicting child sexual abuse, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, Alexander John Odegaard, 34, was found in possession of at least 34,723 images and 555 videos depicting child pornography during the execution of an FBI search warrant at his house in September 2021. Among these were depictions of the sexual abuse of prepubescent minors, including depictions of children being physically restrained, whipped, and threatened with fire. Odegaard was on supervision for child pornography possession in Wright County at the time of the offense.
On January 19, 2022, Odegaard plead guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. He was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Patrick J. Schiltz.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Miranda E. Dugi.
Odegaard has also been arrested and sentenced on similar charges in Wright County after a 2019 investigation.