Pocatello Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Federal Prison for Receiving Child Pornography in Idaho
Joint FBI and ICAC Operation Leads to Arrest, Conviction of Clint Lusk
A 34-year-old Pocatello man has been sentenced to 135 months — just over 11 years — in federal prison after pleading guilty to receiving child pornography, following a joint undercover investigation conducted by the FBI and the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. U.S. District Judge David C. Nye handed down the sentence against Clint Lusk, who will also face additional time in state court stemming from related pending charges in Bannock County.
Lusk’s federal sentence is to be served consecutively to any future sentence he may receive from those pending state-level proceedings. In addition to his prison term, Judge Nye ordered Lusk to pay $45,000 in restitution, serve 15 years of supervised release following his imprisonment, and register as a sex offender.
Undercover Operation, Arrest, and Discovery of Over 52,000 Images
The case originated in November 2024, when investigators with the FBI and ICAC Task Force launched an undercover operation targeting child enticement activity on the Whisper messaging application. According to court records, Lusk used the app to contact an undercover investigator who was posing as a 13-year-old girl. Prosecutors say Lusk, who identified himself as a man in his early thirties, quickly directed the conversation in a sexual direction and proposed meeting in person.
Law enforcement arranged a meeting at the Red Lion Hotel in Pocatello, where investigators identified and arrested Lusk upon his arrival. Following the arrest, authorities executed a search of Lusk’s home and electronic devices. What they uncovered was staggering in scale: more than 52,000 images containing child pornography stored on his phone and in his residence.
The search also revealed multiple voyeurism videos involving known adult victims. Those discoveries led to separate charges currently pending against Lusk in Bannock County District Court, where he is awaiting sentencing on those counts. Lusk formally pleaded guilty to the federal charge of receiving child pornography on October 21, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis publicly commended the collaborative efforts of the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, the ICAC Task Force, and the Pocatello Police Department for their roles in the arrest and subsequent investigation. The case highlights the ongoing and coordinated efforts of federal and local law enforcement agencies to identify and prosecute individuals who exploit children through digital platforms.
The Pocatello Police Department has been increasingly active in joint operations targeting serious criminal activity in the region. Earlier this year, law enforcement also made headlines when a SWAT team executed a high-risk search warrant in Pocatello, resulting in seven arrests. Authorities in Bannock County have also been working to hold sex offenders accountable, with two Pocatello sex offenders recently arrested for failing to update their registry as required by law.
Child exploitation cases involving digital platforms have become an increasing area of focus for federal prosecutors and law enforcement agencies across Idaho and the nation. The Whisper app, a social media platform that allows users to communicate semi-anonymously, has been identified in multiple child enticement investigations across various jurisdictions. Federal prosecutors and child safety advocates have repeatedly warned parents about the dangers of anonymous messaging applications accessible to minors.
The severity of Lusk’s sentence — including the 15-year supervised release period and mandatory sex offender registration — reflects the federal government’s continued commitment to aggressive prosecution in cases involving the exploitation and abuse of children. The restitution order is also intended to provide financial recognition to the victims whose suffering is documented in the illegal material Lusk possessed.
What Comes Next
Clint Lusk will now serve his 135-month federal prison sentence while his separate Bannock County case moves toward sentencing. The state-level charges related to the voyeurism videos discovered during the search of his home remain pending in Bannock County District Court. Any sentence imposed at the state level will be served consecutively to his federal term, meaning Lusk could face a significantly longer total period of incarceration once both cases are fully resolved. The Pocatello Police Department and federal partners have not indicated whether the investigation has concluded or whether additional charges may be forthcoming. Residents with information about child exploitation activity are encouraged to contact the FBI or local law enforcement.