Two San Diego men allegedly linked to child pornography ring
SAN DIEGO (AP) - Two men arrested on child molestation and child pornography charges were part of an international ring uncovered by a Swedish watchdog group, authorities said.
Paul Whitmore of San Diego pleaded innocent Wednesday to 23 counts of child molestation and child pornography charges involving two girls ages 10 and 13. He is being held on $2 million bail.
Brooke Rowland, 40, of Poway is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday on similar charges involving five children. He is being held on $1 million bail.
San Diego District Attorney Paul Pfingst said Whitmore, a child and family counselor, allowed Rowland to abuse one of the girls he allegedly molested.
``They're exchanging kids,'' Pfingst said.
Prosecutors said the two men were part of a child pornography ring in which they exchanged pictures and video of themselves molesting girls to other Internet users.
Authorities began their investigation in November after the Swedish affiliate of the child advocacy group, Save The Children, told them about the child pornography they found on the Internet, court documents showed.
Police in Denmark, Germany and the Fresno suburb of Clovis have arrested people who were allegedly part of the ring. Their names were not immediately known.
San Diego police arrested Whitmore on Jan. 27 and found cameras, computers, photos and videotapes inside his home. Also discovered were leather restraints, rope and handcuffs, according to court records.
Whitmore lost his job as a child counselor and computer expert at the Stein Education Center after he was arrested. Authorities said none of the abused children were students at the school.
He is being held on $2 million bail.San Diego police arrested Whitmore on Jan. 27
The others in the ring (nearest in Poway ?) might have at least been under surveillance of some sort.
From the article
Brooke Rowland, 40, of Poway is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday on similar charges involving five children. He is being held on $1 million bail
By that time it was 6 p.m., and he decided to head to Coronado. He doubled back, arriving at the beach by 7:10 p.m. and found the gates closed. He parked in a nearby lot, slept until 4 or 4:30 a.m., drove off, then slept for an hour in his motor home in Poway before retrieving his SUV and heading home.