Subscribe
  • News
    • Local
    • Regional
    • Business
    • Real Estate
    • Outlaw Partners
  • Arts & Entertainment
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Yellowstone
  • Events
Menu
  • News
    • Local
    • Regional
    • Business
    • Real Estate
    • Outlaw Partners
  • Arts & Entertainment
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Yellowstone
  • Events

Ex-Montana police chief pleads guilty to child porn charge

in Regional
Ex-Montana police chief pleads guilty to child porn charge
EBS Staffby EBS Staff
December 9, 2021

ASSOCIATED PRESS

GREAT FALLS – A former Montana police chief pleaded guilty Tuesday to distributing child pornography via social media, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Montana said.

William Daly Harrington, 43, entered his guilty plea before U.S. District Judge Brian Morris, who scheduled sentencing for April 13. A plea agreement calls for three other charges to be dismissed.

Article Inline Ad Article Inline Ad Article Inline Ad

Harrington spent about 12 years with the East Helena Police Department and was promoted to chief in April 2019.

After pleading guilty, Harrington was released pending sentencing. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years to 20 years in prison, prosecutors said.

According to the criminal complaint, an FBI agent received a tip from Facebook in September 2020 that an account that was later determined to belong to Harrington shared a sexually explicit image involving a girl who was about 10 years old.

Further investigation found Harrington shared several images of pornography with another Facebook account, determined to belong to Harrington’s girlfriend, between November 2019 and August 2020. More than a dozen of the images appeared to be photos of minors in their early teens, according to court records.

Additional images were found on Harrington’s cellphone.

He was placed on leave in February after the city learned of a sexual assault allegation against him. Harrington resigned on March 5.

Outlaw Realty Outlaw Realty
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Listen

Hoary Marmot Podcast

Joe Borden & Michele Veale Borden

Lastest Episode
See More Episodes
outlaw realty montana outlaw realty montana
ADVERTISEMENT
Outlaw Realty Big Sky Bozeman
ADVERTISEMENT

Upcoming Events

Jul 7
8:00 am - 5:00 pm Event Series

Brian Stumpf

Jul 7
9:00 am - 12:00 pm Event Series

Community Hike Big Sky

Jul 7
11:00 am - 5:00 pm Event Series

June Show at the Big Sky Artists’ Studio & Gallery

Jul 7
5:30 pm - 6:30 pm Event Series

Al-Anon Support Group

Jul 7
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm Event Series

Brian Stumpf

View Calendar
Event Calendar

Related Posts

Freeze on federal dollars leaves afterschool programs, summer camps across Gallatin, Park counties in jeopardy 
Local

Freeze on federal dollars leaves afterschool programs, summer camps across Gallatin, Park counties in jeopardy 

July 3, 2025
Public land sales stripped from ‘Big, Beautiful’ bill
Regional

Public land sales stripped from ‘Big, Beautiful’ bill

July 3, 2025
Convicts receive 25 years for violent Bozeman attacks in 2024 
Regional

Bozeman increases patrols, encourages safety during holiday weekend

July 2, 2025
FWP creates new CWD Management Zone in Flathead
Regional

FWP creates new CWD Management Zone in Flathead

July 2, 2025

An Outlaw Partners Publication

Facebook-f Instagram X-twitter Youtube

Explore Big Sky

  • About/Contact
  • Advertise
  • Publications
  • Subscriptions
  • Podcast
  • Submissions

Outlaw Brands

  • Mountain Outlaw
  • Plan Yellowstone
  • Big Sky PBR
  • Wildlands Music
  • Outlaw Partners
  • Outlaw Realty
  • Hey Bear

Copyright © 2025 Explore Big Sky | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Your Privacy Choices

No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Regional
    • Business
    • Outlaw Partners
  • Yellowstone
  • Arts & Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Real Estate
  • Events

©2024 Outlaw Partners, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Explore Big Sky Logo
  • News
    • Local
    • Regional
    • Business
    • Real Estate
    • Outlaw Partners
  • Arts & Entertainment
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Yellowstone
  • Events
Subscribe
Facebook X-twitter Instagram Youtube