Arizona man gets 10 years in prison for child porn, manufacturing methamphetamine

PHOENIX — An Arizona man was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Tuesday for possessing child pornography and illegally manufacturing methamphetamine.

Stephen Folson of Santa Rosa, 37, was arrested in March 2021 after he was caught purchasing chemicals from Canada and China to manufacture meth at his residence, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona said in a press release.

Folson, a member of the Tohono O’odham Nation, had his home on the reservation searched via warrant. Officials discovered a substantial amount of laboratory equipment and precursor chemical that was used to make meth.

The 37-year-old shared his residence with one other adult and two children. Agents searched Folson’s hard drive and determined the device contained over 1,000 images and videos of child pornography, authorities said.

After his release from prison, Folson will be on lifetime supervised release with conditions of probation or parole.

Folson will also be required to register as a sex offender and will have to complete a treatment program. He was ordered to pay restitution to victims depicted in the images he possessed, authorities said.

The case was part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched in 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse.

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