Posted on 08/20/2008 6:27:33 PM PDT by Calpernia
August 19, 2008
55 charged in multi-agency agency probe targeting use of peer-to-peer networks to exchange child pornography
LOS ANGELES - Federal and local authorities arrested seven men for possession of child pornography today as part of an ongoing multi-agency investigation spearheaded by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the FBI that has resulted so far in the filing of charges against 55 defendants who allegedly used peer-to-peer networks to exchange sexually graphic images of children.
The charges stem from a seven-month probe led by ICE and the FBI that also involved assistance from numerous other federal and local agencies, including the United States Secret Service. The investigation marks the first time law enforcement has conducted a coordinated sweep broadly targeting peer-to-peer users who share child pornography.
All of the defendants are charged with possession of child pornography, and some are charged with additional offenses, such as production of child pornography and committing crimes while registered as sex offenders. Those charged include a law enforcement officer, attorneys and men with previous convictions related to the child pornography.
One particularly serious case involves a man named Gary Samuel Cochran, a 50-year-old Huntington Beach man who was previously convicted in state court of child molestation and possession of obscene materials depicting minors engaged in sex acts. Earlier this year, investigators found evidence that Cochran was not only sharing child pornography, but that some of the images were pictures he took of a young girl. As a result, he is charged with both possession and production of child pornography. Because of his prior convictions, Cochran faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison if convicted of possessing child pornography, and a mandatory minimum sentence of 35 years in prison if convicted of producing child pornography. If convicted of committing these offenses while a registered sex offender, Cochran would receive an additional 10 years.
Other defendants charged in this investigation with possession of child pornography include:
These cases are the result of a coordinated investigation in which law enforcement used sophisticated software to track down computers on which child pornography was being stored and made available to others via peer-to-peer networks. Peer-to-peer networks are an increasingly popular method for sharing files on the Internet. Using software programs such as Limewire, computer users can join networks that allow the sharing of files across the Internet, often for no charge.
"As criminals exploit technology to commit their crimes - whether it be identity theft, money laundering, distribution of child pornography, or any other criminal conduct - law enforcement will quickly react to develop equally sophisticated means to track down their wrongdoing," said United States Attorney Thomas P. O'Brien.
Salvador Hernandez, assistant director in charge of the FBI in Los Angeles, said: "There is perhaps nothing more reprehensible than an act in exploitation of children - those members of our society who, because of their age and inexperience, are especially vulnerable to manipulation and deceit. America's children are its most cherished and valuable resource. The FBI will continue to do all that it can to protect them from those that would rob them of their innocence."
Robert Schoch, special agent in charge for the ICE office of investigations in Los Angeles, stated: "Today, those involved in child exploitation - like everyone else - are using the remarkable reach of the Internet, and peer-to-peer technology is the latest frontier. But we have a message for child sex predators who think they can escape justice by hiding in Cyberspace. We will do everything in our power and use every tool at our disposal to keep our children safe - whether they are around the block or around the world."
The charge of possession of child pornography carries a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison, unless that person has previously been convicted of a child exploitation crime, in which case any conviction carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years.
The cases announced today were investigated by the FBI's Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement (SAFE) Team and ICE. Members of the FBI's SAFE Team include investigators with the California Department of Justice, the United States Postal Inspection Service, ICE, the California Highway Patrol, the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department, the Orange County Sheriff's Department and the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office. ICE received substantial assistance in this investigation from the United States Secret Service, the Los Angeles Police Department, the Ventura County Sheriff's Department, the Thousand Oaks Police Department, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services' Multi-Agency Response Team (MART) and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.
-- ICE --
I popped this one out for it’s own thread.
Secret Service is yet Treasury, right? Likely a number of related Federal laws.
"Book 'em, Dano."
Is that part of the Department of Redundancy Department?
Here's my guess.
Electronic Crimes Task Forces and Working Groups
The Secret Service's ECTF and Electronic Crimes Working Group initiatives prioritize investigative cases that involve electronic crimes. These initiatives provide necessary support and resources to field investigations that meet any one of the following criteria:
It as further said that the officer has quit the force, and is now in custody in L.A.
Makes sense. I first thought of children of politicians. Yours is most likely.
Salvador Hernandez, just busting child pornographers Americans won’t./sarcasm
Spending time for doing the crime.
Hopefully the perverts will suffer hundreds fold the same fate they have inflicted on the most helpless of humans.
Hades awaits.
I’m surprised that someone with only modest hacking talents hasn’t offered their services to ruin the career of a hated enemy or a competitor by incriminating them in child porn. It would be relatively easy to do.
Until recently, when the government has taken to using “zombie” software to take over and remotely examine a suspects computer without them knowing it, the “magic key” to get a child porn indictment and conviction was if the suspect had used his credit card to access a compromised pay child porn site.
Knowing this, all a hacker would have to do would be to sneak illegal images on the enemies’ computer, then use their credit card to try and buy child porn from a compromised site.
This would easily be probable cause to search their computer, where the child porn would be found. No judge or jury would believe that they knew nothing about it. It’s just that easy.
A way for a hacker to make a few thousand dollars in an afternoon.
Good, I am glad you did.
At the FBI offices, they have almost daily reports on porn arrests, in every office.
I suspect that few realize the size of the porn business and how many children are involved.
Please keep exposing this problem.
Maybe you should have an on-going thread for porn and for gangs?
The two that I have are all I can handle.
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