WILLMAR -- Ian Zondervan, 16, of Willmar, was ordered to complete a psychological-sexual evaluation and follow the recommendations of the evaluation, serve 40 hours of community service and be on probation until his 18th birthday for possessing pornographic materials.
Judge Kathryn N. Smith withheld adjudication for Zondervan, meaning that if he complies with the conditions, no conviction will appear on his record. The case was continued for dismissal until Zondervan's 18th birthday, which is Dec. 9, 2008, and can be extended another year if he does not make progress. The dispositional hearing was Oct. 29 in Kandiyohi County District Court.
However, if Zondervan does not successfully complete the conditions of his probation, the matter will be set for trial, according to a supplemental order filed Oct. 31 by Smith.
Zondervan was arraigned in August on one felony count of possessing pornographic work after an undercover Internet investigation revealed that his computer was the source of a child pornography movie file. Felony matters involving 16- or 17-year-old juveniles are public record.
The investigation began March 19 when a Minneapolis officer working with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force found a movie, with a sexually suggestive title, featuring a young naked girl performing a sexual act on the camera. The officer identified 14 additional pornographic files at the same Internet protocol address, which was traced to an account in Willmar. The files could be downloaded on the Internet from that account and computer.
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Willmar Police Department officers and the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension agents executed a search warrant in June at Zondervan's home. Officers seized and searched his computer and found 620 files that contained sexual content, including child pornography of prepubescent children.
