BANGOR — A Cornville man was sentenced to serve 30 months in federal prison Thursday after pleading guilty in October to a charge of accessing child sexual abuse material.

According to a U.S. Department of Justice news release, the investigation into Wade Willette, 46, started in August 2020 when Willette contacted an FBI covert employee using Kik, a mobile messaging app, after the employee had posted on an online bulletin board that is used by people with sexual interest in children or child sexual abuse material. The account was traced back to Willette.

In January 2022, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a tip from Kik that an account with that same user name had uploaded three videos containing child sexual abuse material in December 2021.

In March 2023, investigators executed a search warrant at Willette’s home. When interviewed by FBI agents, Willette said the Kik account was his and he had searched for and viewed child sexual abuse material on his phone. He also said he had online conversations about child sexual abuse materials in the past. Two images showing children being sexually abused were recovered from his phone.

Willette will also undergo five years of supervised release.