BISMARCK -- When Aaron Scott Collins pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography and attempting to arrange a sexual encounter with what he thought were the 15- and 17-year-old daughters of a cash-strapped mother, he told U.S. District Court Judge Daniel Hovland that he made a bad choice.
"It was a horrible, horrible decision, your honor," Collins said.
On Thursday, Hovland sentenced Collins to five years in prison.
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Collins - who comes from Washington state, but was living in Tioga when he was arrested in 2013 - also will have to register as a sex offender and serve 10 years of supervised release.
"I was around some very bad people in Tioga," Collins said.
Hovland countered that one can hang around unsavory sorts without downloading hundreds of photos and dozens of videos depicting underage girls committing sexual acts.
Collins' attorney, Jeremy Kemper, asked for a reduced sentence because Collins had no previous criminal record.
"Heck, he's never had a speeding ticket," said Kemper, pointing out that Collins had done well while out of custody and awaiting sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Gary Delorme disputed that Collins had made one or two bad choices. A scan of a computer and phone belonging to Collins had revealed more than 250 photos and about 40 videos of girls aged 12 and younger.
"I think he's off just a little bit. This is more of a lifestyle choice, not just a personal choice," he said.
Hovland expressed exasperation with the number of out-of-state oilfield workers he's had to sentence for crimes like those Collins committed.
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"Hopefully, the word gets out," Hovland said of the stiff sentences for child porn and human trafficking. "I'm not interested in spending the rest of my career dealing with these cases."
The judge said Collins was right to plead guilty, as a North Dakota jury would have "hammered" him had he taken it to trial. He said he's never seen juries deliberate much longer than 10 minutes when deciding a child porn case.
Hovland urged Collins not to re-offend when he is released, saying the penalties for repeat sex offenders are severe. Hovland said he would recommend that Collins, who was immediately taken into custody, serve his sentence at a low-security prison camp as close to Washington state as possible.
As Collins was handcuffed and escorted out of the courtroom, Kemper offered some final words of encouragement to his client.
"You're not a bad person. Don't let anyone tell you you are," he said.
