Posted on 11/09/2004 10:33:33 AM PST by ArmyBratCutie
Astronaut's Son Held on Sex Charges
SAN FRANCISCO (Nov. 8) - The son of Mercury astronaut Walter Schirra has been arrested on child sex tourism charges, federal authorities said Monday.
Walter Schirra, 54, was arrested at San Francisco International Airport on Saturday morning just before he was to board a flight to Thailand where he allegedly intended to solicit sex from underage boys, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
In a search, federal officials said they found 15 to 20 images of child pornography on Schirra's home computer.
Schirra, a property manager, was charged under the PROTECT Act, legislation signed into law in April 2003 to crack down on sex tourism.
Schirra, who is in federal custody, appeared in court Monday morning, but has not yet entered a plea. He was expected to appear in court later this week. It was unclear if he has an attorney.
Schirra's father, also named Walter, was one of the seven original Mercury astronauts in the country's first space program.
11/08/04 21:57 EST
How sad for the father. Sometimes in the best of families you can have a pervert.
Holding kiddie porn is illegal, unless one teaches sex ed.
I went to Lee Hall Elementary School (Lee Hall, VA.) with "Walter" Schirra in the early 1960's. Only then we knew him as "Marty."
Even then he had some problems. Set fire to the median strip in his home subdivision at Stoney Brook. (Denbigh Section of Newport News, Va.)
I agree. But how did they get a warrant to search his computer? I' d say the Patriot Act is tame against the PROTECT ACT.
P.S. I hate pediffles, too.
I feel so bad for his Daddy too...you know, children are a plague sometimes for folks....they lead honorable, good lives and their children taint that for them...terrible...
I think the crime, was that he had already "paid" thru some kind of men/boy club for his "treats" .. and it happened to be a "sting" .. therefore they were able to get the search warrant for his home/computer....I wonder if he has a wife/family.....
heartbreaking for them and his parents if so ...
He no doubt committed electronic crimes that resulted in the Feds getting an electronic wiretap -- corresponding with other pedophiles, exchanging illegal photos, etc.
But when he made his reservations to travel to Thailand (notorious for such crimes) the Feds decided enough was enough and apprenended him.
He'll not be charged with "Intention to Travel to Thailand" but with the crimes he committed before leaving on his trip. Of course, he might have written incriminating emails to perverts in Thailand while preparing for his trip.
Lock him up -- famous name notwithstanding.
At 54, my kids are on their own.
Child pornography on the computer is a crime.
I understand. The way the story read to me was his computer was searched after the arrest. If he had this stuff on his computer he is prob. scum. Maybe the post about a sting where he bought a ticket with the implied intention he was to be met by an underage prostitute was what was up.
Glad they stopped him on the way there instead of on the way back.
Nobody likes a boy F^&#&R!
It was Gordon Cooper who died.
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