A former West Yellowstone High School band teacher who for two years used his school computer to download obscene pictures of teenagers received a one-year-and-one-day prison term in federal court in Helena Thursday.

For 30 years, William Paisley, 54, was a well-respected music teacher for grades kindergarten through 12. However, in March 2007 the FBI received a tip that Paisley was using the school's computer to access child pornography Web sites.

When questioned, Paisley admitted to viewing the pornography and downloading some of the images to floppy disks that he later threw in a wood stove to avoid getting caught. According to court documents, when Paisley was questioned, he said he was addicted to viewing the images and that it was "an escape from the stresses of (his) job."

Paisley's attorney, Peter Lucny, said the incident has ruined his client's life. The married father of one lost his job and his reputation, and was forced to move from West Yellowstone in shame. Lucny pleaded for leniency from Senior U.S. District Court Judge Jack Shanstrom, asking him to sentence Paisley to probation for five years.

However, the U.S. Attorney's Office sought some type of prison sentence. In court documents, Marcia Hurd, assistant U.S. attorney, noted that Paisley could have been charged with receipt of child pornography, but based on the relatively few number of images -- 42 -- and the fact that the images weren't of clearly prepubescent children, he faced the lesser charge of receipt of obscene material.

"What makes Paisley's case so concerning is one of the very reasons he gives for why his sentence should be probation -- that he was a decades-long high school teacher who had young teens in his classes every day, and he used the school's computer to access the illegal images," Hurd wrote in a sentencing memorandum.

A psychologist whose examination of Paisley included a lie detector test, testified that he was fairly certain Paisley never touched any child inappropriately.

In handing down the sentence, Shanstrom noted how Paisley had a lot of good things going for him, and lost those because of his illegal actions. He said the prison term, plus three years of supervision once Paisley is released, will make sure the public is protected, will promote respect for the law and will provide just punishment.

He also ordered Paisley to register as a sex offender and prohibited him from going near school grounds or any place primarily used by children younger than 18.

Eve Byron: 447-4076 or eve.byron@helenair.com