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A Missoula doctor suspected of trying to entice a minor girl into having sex in an undercover investigation is facing federal charges after being arrested in Billings Monday night when he showed up for a rendezvous.
Bart Linden Holt, 46, a podiatrist, appeared in federal court Tuesday on a criminal complaint charging him with enticement of a minor for illegal sexual activity.
Law enforcement officers arrested Holt when he arrived at a location he had arranged with an undercover FBI agent posing as a young girl.
Investigators watched Holt leave the Sheraton Hotel shortly before 10 p.m. in a 1992 Lincoln Towncar and drive to the meeting site to pick up the girl and bring her back to his hotel room, according to an affidavit by FBI Special Agent Dan Vierthaler.
Holt drove around the location for about a half-hour, then pulled into the site and approached a cooperating witness. Holt stopped his vehicle and said “hi'' while smiling at the witness.
Vierthaler, who posed as a minor girl in an Internet chat room and communicated with Holt during the eight-month investigation, identified himself and ordered Holt to raise his hands.
Holt tried to speed away despite orders to stop, but his escape was blocked by a marked patrol car and a surveillance vehicle, the affidavit said. Holt stopped and was arrested without further incident.
Holt appeared for his hearing Tuesday handcuffed and looking subdued.
U.S. Magistrate Richard Anderson appointed attorney Robert Kelleher Jr. to represent Holt after finding he could not afford to hire a lawyer. Holt listed a debt of $30,000 in state income taxes and other liabilities in a financial affidavit.
Kelleher waived a preliminary hearing. The case will be presented to a grand jury for indictment. Anderson set a detention hearing for today.
The investigation began in December while Vierthaler, who investigates child pornography and sexual exploitation cases, was working online in an undercover role and posing as a girl younger than 16.
Holt initiated a chat with Vierthaler's undercover persona on Dec. 4 on Yahoo! Instant Message. The two chatted numerous times during the next eight months until Holt's arrest.
Sexually explicit conversations that occurred between the agent and Holt are detailed in Vierthaler's 21-page affidavit. The two also discussed the age issue.
During Holt's 10th chat with the agent, which occurred June 1, he wrote, “when we get together we have to keep it quiet cuz we could be in trouble.''
The agent responded, “I cant believe u cud go to jail just 4 havin sex with me.''
Holt replied, “yeah but it is true,'' “even if ya want to I would still have to go.''
The agent asked, “even if i want to and tell u its ok?''
Holt answered, “yea that is why it is so stupid cuz they think u aren't capable of making up your mind that you are poor defenseless minor.''
The agent then asked, “if i wur 14 or 15 wud it be ok then?''
“nope,'' Holt replied.
“how old wud I have 2b?'' the agent asked.
“it is like 17 or 18,'' Holt answered and said later in the conversation, “I want to have sex with YOU.''
Holt eventually told the agent his true age of 46 and his true first name after having used an alias.
Investigators determined Holt's Internet address and identified his Internet service provider as Mountain West Internet in Missoula. In response to a subpoena, Mountain West Internet reported that the address in question belonged to Holt.
Holt transmitted Web cam footage of himself from his work office to the agent on three occasions, the affidavit said.
Investigators also contacted the Missoula Police Department and learned that the department had received a referral from the San Bernadino Police Department regarding the doctor. The referral was the result of contact between an undercover sheriff's deputy and Holt on the Internet.
In July 1998, Hold had sent a lewd image of a nude 9-year-old child to the deputy and to 10 others in a chat room, Vierthaler said. The subsequent investigation also found that Holt has distributed child porn from his office in Missoula.
After being arrested, Holt waived his rights and agreed to be interviewed. He acknowledged his Internet address and that he had engaged a minor in numerous Yahoo! Instant Message chat sessions since the fall of 2004.
He admitted having cyber sex chat sessions with the fictional young girl, sending Web cam video footage of himself masturbating and discussing his plan to drive from Missoula to Billings to have sex with her, the affidavit said.
Holt maintained that when he approached the cooperating witness at the meeting site, he intended to tell her he could not have sex with her because he did not want to cause her “emotional harm'' and that he intended to offer her a ride home, Vierthaler said.
Holt also admitted receiving, possessing and distributing child pornography, the agent said, and to having cyber chats about sex with a 14-year-old girl from Great Falls.
A search of Holt's Billings hotel room turned up a shopping bag containing an unopened box of condoms.
Missoula doctor denies enticement, child porn charges
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A Missoula doctor arrested in Billings last month when he showed up for a rendezvous with an undercover federal agent posing as a young girl pleaded not guilty Tuesday to enticement and child pornography charges.
Bart Linden Holt, 46, a podiatrist, was indicted on three counts: coercion and enticement of a minor and receipt and possession of child pornography. If convicted, Holt also faces forfeiture of property involved in the crimes.
The indictment alleges that for about eight months starting in December, Holt used the Internet to try to entice a minor into having sex. He also is accused of receiving and possessing child porn using a computer at his office.
Holt began chatting on the Internet with FBI Special Agent Dan Vierthaler, who investigates child porn and sexual exploitation of children, a criminal complaint said. Holt allegedly initiated chats with Vierthaler's undercover character, a minor girl.
The two communicated numerous times during the eight-month investigation. The sexually explicit conversations are detailed in a 21-page affidavit by Vierthaler. In addition to chats, Holt transmitted Web cam photos of himself from his work office to the agent on three occasions, court records said.
Vierthaler and other officers arrested Holt on Aug. 1 when he arrived at a location he had arranged with the undercover agent. Holt tried to escape in his vehicle but was blocked by law enforcement vehicles and ignored commands from Vierthaler, who had drawn his gun.
Holt initially appeared in court on a criminal complaint. The case was submitted to a grand jury for indictment.
After his arrest, Holt agreed to be interviewed and told investigators he had engaged a minor in numerous chat sessions since the fall of 2004. He admitted having cyber sex chat sessions with the fictional girl, sending Web cam video of himself masturbating and discussing his plan to drive to Billings to have sex with her, court records said.
Holt also maintained that when was approached by the cooperating witness at the meeting site, he intended to tell her he could not have sex because he did not want to cause her “emotional harm'' and that he intended to offer her a ride home. Holt admitted receiving, possessing and distributing child porn, court records said.
Holt faces a mandatory minimum five years to 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the enticement count and a mandatory minimum five years to 20 years and a $250,000 fine on the receipt of child porn count. The possession of child porn charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Holt faces forfeiture of a 1992 Lincoln Town Car, a laptop computer, a Web cam, a cellular phone and a desktop computer.
U.S. Magistrate Richard Anderson continued Holt's release until trial before U.S. District Judge Richard Cebull.
Missoula Podiatrist charged in enticement case
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