A former Portland State University chemistry professor who had been named Oregon’s “Scientist of the Year” was sentenced Monday to 2 ½ years in prison for possessing child pornography.

Niles Edward Lehman, 57, uploaded videos and photos of child pornography to his blog -- which was available for public viewing -- on the social networking website Tumblr, investigators said. Tumblr tipped off the FBI to the posted images and that led to Lehman’s arrest, said Deputy District Attorney Bumjoon Park.

Lehman was charged with viewing and sharing 35 illicit images of children from fall 2017 to fall 2018, although authorities said he had hundreds on his iPhone and other electronic devices of children ages 3 to 12.

During that same period, Lehman was named Oregon’s “Scientist of the Year” by the Oregon Academy of Science for his research into the possible origins of life, according to a January 2018 tweet by PSU. He had been a 17-year employee of the university at the time of his arrest in February and was placed on paid administrative leave. University spokesman Kenny Ma said Lehman resigned from his faculty position in May.

“It is shocking and upsetting to learn that a PSU employee has engaged in this type of illegal and improper conduct,” Ma said in an emailed statement Monday.

Niles Lehman (left) made no statements during his plea and sentencing hearing on Monday, July 8, 2019, in Multnomah County Circuit Court. Defense attorney Michael Romano is seated next to him. (Aimee Green/The Oregonian)

He pleaded no contest Monday to two counts of first-degree encouraging child sexual abuse, and Multnomah County Circuit Judge Karin Immergut convicted him of those crimes. She dismissed the remaining counts.

Lehman declined to make any statements during the hearing. His lawyer, Michael Romano, said that unlike with some other defendants caught with child pornography, there was no evidence that Lehman molested children.

According to a staff profile at PSU, Lehman received his Ph.D. from UCLA in 1990. He had no prior criminal history.

In addition to prison time, the judge sentenced him to five years of probation and sex offender treatment. He also must register as a sex offender.

-- Aimee Green

agreen@oregonian.com

o_aimee

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