Former Cass County Deputy Sentenced for Child Sexual Abuse Material

Carson Quam received 18 months in jail after resigning amid investigation in 2024.

Mar. 19, 2026 at 1:24am

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A former Cass County deputy, Carson Quam, has been sentenced to 18 months in jail for possession of child sexual abuse material. Quam resigned from the sheriff's office in November 2024 after an investigation was launched by the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation in September of that year.

Why it matters

The case highlights the serious consequences for law enforcement officers who engage in criminal behavior, especially when it involves the exploitation of minors. It also raises concerns about the vetting and oversight of deputies to prevent such incidents from occurring.

The details

Quam faced 10 counts related to possession of child sexual abuse material, but five of those counts were dismissed by the court. Cass County Sheriff Jesse Jahner issued a statement expressing the difficulty this situation has caused for the community, the agency, and the victims who were exploited.

  • Quam resigned from the Cass County Sheriff's Office in November 2024.
  • The investigation into Quam was launched by the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation in September 2024.

The players

Carson Quam

A former Cass County deputy who was sentenced to 18 months in jail for possession of child sexual abuse material.

Jesse Jahner

The Cass County Sheriff who issued a statement expressing the difficulty this situation has caused for the community, the agency, and the victims.

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What they’re saying

“This is a situation that was hard for our community, hard for the men and women of our agency who work daily to maintain a high level of professionalism, and most definitely for the victims who were exploited through this activity. In my opinion, no sentence is enough when children are victimized by crime. We hope that the full length of the sentence will be served and that Carson will find a way to apologize to the victims, our community, and our agency for his actions.”

— Jesse Jahner, Cass County Sheriff

The takeaway

This case highlights the importance of thorough vetting and ongoing oversight of law enforcement officers to prevent incidents of criminal behavior, especially those involving the exploitation of minors. It also underscores the need for strong accountability measures and support for victims in such cases.