BOISE, Idaho — The criminal case involving a Middleton 18-year-old accused of trading child pornography and discussing plans to kidnap and sexually assault a child has been moved into federal court.
Colton Dune Turner was previously charged on the state level in Canyon County. But after federal prosecutors picked up the investigation, the state charges were dismissed.
Turner now faces three counts of distribution of child pornography, two counts of distribution of child pornography, one count of transportation of child pornography and one count of sexual exploitation of a child.
Turner was arrested after investigators linked his cellphone to an IP address that had been used to access explicit images of children. A search of his iPhone 8 turned up more than 2,000 pornographic images of children, some as young as 6.
Law enforcement also discovered online chat logs in which Turner discusses trading child pornography with other users and touts his preference for images showing very young children, according to court documents.
In one exchange, Turner and another user outline a plan to abduct a girl and sexually abuse her at a motel, before dropping her off in an unfamiliar town, according to court documents.
Investigators say the suspect also bragged about molesting an 8-year-old in Oregon, and uploaded videos that show what appears to be that girl being touched sexually.
A trial in the case is set for February 2020.
