JACKSON (WNE) — A 26-year-old man employed seasonally at Yellowstone National Park in 2019 was sentenced to 30 months in prison June 13 after a federal judge found him guilty of child pornography charges.

Advocates suggest referring to such materials as “child sexual abuse material” instead of “child pornography,” because pornography by its nature is consensual and a child cannot consent to sexual acts, making “child sexual abuse material” a more accurate description. 

However, the legal statute prosecutors operate under employs the term “child pornography.”



The case started in August 2019 when Sabin Donohoe, of Ottawa, Canada, lost his phone while he was visiting Fort Collins, Colorado. Someone picked it up and, while going through the phone to identify the owner, found “large quantities” of child sexual abuse material on it and reported that to Loveland, Colorado, authorities.

Loveland officers traced the phone back to Donohoe and conducted a “noncustodial interview” of him, meaning he was free to leave during the interrogation.

During that interview, Donohoe admitted to searching for and keeping the material, according to court documents.

“The next day he fled to Canada,” a press release from the U.S. attorney’s office said.

Two charges were filed in May 2020: possession of child pornography and transportation of child pornography.

Donohoe pleaded guilty to the possession charge after a plea agreement was reached. The transportation charge ultimately was dismissed.

He was arrested in Canada on July 25, 2022, and extradited to the U.S. on Nov. 27, 2023, to face charges.