Former Cass County Deputy Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Materials

Ex-deputy Carson Quam receives 18 months for child sex abuse material possession. Judge rejects plea deal, ordering immediate custody in Fargo court.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 19, 2026, 4:47 PM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Jamestown Sun

Judicial Rejection of the Deferred Sentence

The legal proceedings for 27 year old Carson Theodore Quam reached a definitive conclusion in Cass County District Court as Judge Daniel Narum moved to enforce an immediate prison term. While the defense and prosecution had previously negotiated a deal that would have allowed Quam to remain free during a planned appeal to the North Dakota Supreme Court, the judge flatly rejected the arrangement. Narum emphasized that the victims depicted in such materials are revictimized every time the files are accessed, stating that the former deputy’s actions contributed to a market that fuels further exploitation. Consequently, deputies took Quam into custody directly following the Wednesday hearing to begin his 18 month sentence.

The Breach of Public Trust

The prosecution’s argument for a significant prison term centered heavily on Quam’s background as a law enforcement officer. Assistant Grand Forks County State’s Attorney Megan Kvasager Essig, who took the case after local prosecutors declared a conflict of interest, noted that Quam held a position of high public responsibility while the crimes were committed. Evidence presented in court showed that Quam possessed hundreds of illegal files on his cellphone, a USB drive, and his television between 2021 and 2024. For a substantial portion of this period, Quam was actively serving as a patrol officer for the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, having taken an oath to protect the very citizens he was instead betraying through his criminal conduct.

A History of Hidden Digital Activity

The investigation into Quam’s digital history revealed a disturbing timeline of possession that spanned approximately three years. According to court documents, the files recovered by the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation depicted victims ranging in age from 2 to 14. Investigators noted that the activity continued well into his tenure with the sheriff’s office, which began in December 2022. The former deputy eventually resigned in September 2024 as the bureau’s investigation intensified. The sheer volume and nature of the materials found led the prosecution to argue that Quam could not have been unaware of the profound harm his consumption caused to the children involved in the production of such media.