BILLINGS - A Forsyth man who was messaging boys over social media and requesting nude images was sentenced today to 27 years in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said. Schifferns was also ordered to pay a total of $40,200 in special assessments and $15,000 in restitution.

Zachary Dean Schifferns, 38, pleaded guilty in March 2026 to one count of producing child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography.

U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer presided.

The government alleged in court documents that Schifferns sought Child Sex Abuse Material from a 14-year-old boy and that Schifferns maintained a cache of illicit images of children.

Law enforcement interviewed the 14-year-old on Dec. 25, 2024, after the boy spoke up about Schifferns reaching out to him on social media and requesting nude images. In the interaction, Schifferns had sent the boy a picture of his own genitalia and told him he was interested in 12- to 15-year-old boys. In response, the 14-year-old sent Schifferns a fake image he photoshopped from material online.

The next day, law enforcement obtained a warrant, and over the next few weeks searched Schifferns's residence, electronic media, and social media. They discovered dozens of sexually explicit images and videos of children, including some that involved children under 12. They also discovered similar messages he had sent to other boys.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno Baucus prosecuted the case. The FBI, Rosebud County Sheriff's Office, and Big Horn County Sheriff's Office conducted the investigation.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.