Robbins v LMSD and teacher admits making child porn with boy

Teacher admits making child porn with

15 y.o. male student

and

LMSD remains mum

A teacher admitted to making child pornography with a 15 year old student today, according to the FBI.  Some of the videos were made in school class rooms.  Others were made in each of the teacher's' two private homes.

According to a press release by the FBI, the teacher was asked to tutor the student on a 1 on 1 basis. Somehow the discussions between the two drifted to the topic of sex.  The boy reportedly asked the teacher if he could find a girl.  The idea was for the three to have sex together, a menage a trois.

"The boy said he knew he was being video taped"

The teacher never got around to finding the girl.  The boy and the teacher engaged in sex anyway.  The boy was also filmed in sexual acts by himself.

Talking about girls and sex is a trick pedophiles use to lure young boys into sexual relationships.  Apparently, the boy, who was only 14 when the relationship began, fell for the ploy.

The boy said he knew he was being video taped during his sexual exploits.

In contrast, students at Harriton Senior High School in the Lower Merion School District of Pennsylvania did not know the camera was rolling in the lap top spy cam scandal.  We don't know what the pictures taken by one of two administrators will show. 

In that case, students were issued Apple lap top computers without being told the built in web cam could be secretly activated, even when the student was in the privacy of his own home.  Presumably, LMSD officials anticipated times when the cameras would certainly show students in unflattering circumstances, or possibly worse, when both boys and girls were dressing or in the process of their own version of learning about the birds and the bees. 

The scandal came to light when 15 year old Blake Robbins was called on the carpet while eating Mike and Ikes candies.  Harriton Vice Principal Lyn Matsko broke the news to Blake that they had photos of him downing prescription drugs.  Unfortunately for the administration, they don't know the difference between Mike and Ike's, a fruity candy that comes in oblong sizes, and prescription medications. 

"One hopes this opposition is not a means of grabbing headlines"

The Robbins family brought a class action law suit that threatens to cut the student body and the community into two camps, pro and con.  A parent's organization, the LMSD Parents, opposes the class action law suit and is lobbying against the Robbins.  One hopes this opposition is for the benefit of the students and not as a means of grabbing headlines from the international press the incident has generated.

LMSD said it planned to activate the spy cameras only when a computer was reported missing. They thought it would be a great way to catch criminals by having the thief's mug shot along with his mitts on the goods. We don't have an explanation for why Blake's computer web cam was activated.  He had not reported his lap top missing.  Nor do we have an explanation why the school used their secret photographs to nail what they claim was a suspected drug dealer if their only goal was to recover stolen lap tops.  The LMSD story and the facts don't appear to jibe.

If we put the two cases together, a teacher who violated a student, and a school district which violated community trust, the obvious question is posed:  Which of the two incidents is more egregious?  In the former case, a teacher had sex with a 15 year old boy who knew the camera was rolling.  In the later case, school administrators knew they were taking photographs of students, at least some of which were sure to amount to child pornography, and their victims had no idea they were posing for the silver screen. 

It is a losing argument to say in the student-teacher case the child was having sex and in the Lower Merion School District case the students would simply be photographed, at times, probably without clothing.  If enough secret photographs were taken, the school administration should rationally have expected they would catch some students in the process of sexual relations, either with themselves or with another student, or perhaps, even with an adult.

Well maybe the lap top spy cam idea wasn't so bad after all.  Yes it was.

On the other hand, both cases represent a violation of the confidence we put in people of trust.  Sadly, in both cases it was school staff.  In one case a sick teacher and in the other case one sick school board.  That is my point of view.  LMSD Parents might disagree.

The minimum sentence for teacher Scott Christopher Howe who had sex with a boy from Cedar Lee Middle School in Bealton, in Fauquier County, Virginia is 15 years.  We don't know what the minimum sentences for members of the LMSD school board and school administrators will be if they are convicted, since no one has yet been indicted.  The school's continued refusal to accept responsibility, which requires more than a simple admission the event took place, is not likely enough to deter an investigation by the FBI.

 

I remain optimistic the warring parties in the Harriton Senior High School community, the LMSD, the Robbins, and especially the students and faculty, can put this ugly incident in perspective and move on.  For a young boy from the Cear Lee Middle School in the Fauquier County School District in Virginia, and for Scott Christopher Howe, it is too late.

Sexual exploitation of a minor is time consuming, Pedaphiles beware, exploit a child and you will pay! Asset forfeiture, find out the latest police tactics, sexual exploitation of a minor is expensive and time consuming

Project Safe Childhood

Sexual exploitation of minors is becoming dangerous for internet predators.  An initiative called
'PROJECT SAFE CHILDHOOD' is making dramatic inroads on prosecution of those involved in robbing children of their innocence.  In 2007 alone, there was a 27% increase in the prosecution of internet predators and those who exploit our children.   As of September 01, 2008, 1661 victims of child sexual exploitation have been identified.

In October of 2009 a Lexington Kentucky man was given 15 years and forfeited his home after authorities discovered 40,000 images of child pornography.  Forfeiture represents a new tool by law enforcement against childhood predators.  This is cutting edge law because the foundation for the forfeiture is the man used his home to view the child pornography. 

The following link takes you to article: http://lawmancolo.blogspot.com/2010/01/kentucky-man-forfeits-his-home-after.html

The case for forfeiture would be stronger if the man had used his home to make child pornography, rather than simply possess it.  The point is mute as the Defendant consented to the forfeiture as part of his plea.

Since a 15 year sentence is likely the rest of the perpetrators life, you could say sexual exploitation of a minor is time consuming.  That has always been the case, although longer prison sentences are more common.  The news is, exploitation is now expensive, as well.

Responding to citizen demand and the voice of child advocate groups, the government is getting tough on those who steal the innocence of youth from helpless children.  A recent conviction against a ring of sex tourists should cool the jets of those who prey on children thinking there will be no consequences.  http://lawmancolo.blogspot.com/2009/12/pornographer-and-sex-tourists-get-tour.html

The following is a fact sheet from the Project safe people.  If you are comitted to fighting for our nation's youth the information may be of help to you.  There are many ways to wage this war against child predators.  We encourage you to seek the assistance of the project safe people for more assistance.

Project Safe Fact Sheet:  http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2008/September/08-opa-845.html

Project Safe Childhood (PSC) is a Department of Justice initiative launched in 2006 that aims to combat the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. The threat of sexual predators soliciting children for physical sexual contact is well-known and serious; the danger of perpetrators who produce, distribute, and possess child pornography is equally dramatic and disturbing.

"The Department of Justice is committed to the safety and

well-being of every child"

The Department of Justice is committed to the safety and well-being of every child and has placed a high priority on combating sexual exploitation of minors. Through a network of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and advocacy organizations, PSC coordinates efforts to protect our children by investigating and prosecuting online sexual predators.

PSC is implemented through a partnership of U.S. Attorneys; Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task forces; federal partners, including the FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Marshals Service; advocacy organizations such as the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children; and state and local law enforcement officials in each U.S. Attorney’s district.

Project Safe Childhood Is Working

"More and more victims are being identified"

Under PSC, the number of federal child exploitation prosecutions has increased significantly, along with the number of federal, state, and local investigations and convictions, and more and more victims are being identified. PSC’s education and awareness efforts complement this focus on enforcement.

Enforcement:

In U.S. Attorneys' Offices, 2,118 indictments were filed in fiscal year 2007 against 2,218 defendants. This represents a 27.8 percent increase over fiscal year 2006 (1,657 cases filed against 1,760 defendants). We currently project that the number of federal prosecutions in FY 2008 will be higher than in FY 2007.

In fiscal year 2007, the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) program, a national network of 59 regional task forces funded by the Department of Justice that investigate computer-facilitated child sexual exploitation, resulted in more than 2,350 arrests.

As of Sept.14, 2008, a total of 1,661 victims of child pornography crimes have been identified and many rescued, 911 of which since the launch of PSC, through enhanced law enforcement coordination and the efforts of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s (NCMEC).

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During fiscal year 2007, the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, in partnership with the FBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the United States Postal Inspection Service, developed and coordinated six nationwide investigations targeting the production, distribution, receipt, and possession of child pornography by more than 7,000 individuals residing in the United States. Many of these leads are prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Offices throughout the nation.

Public Education and Awareness:

In 2007, the Department of Justice together with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and the Ad Council launched the Online Sexual Exploitation public service advertising campaign designed to educate teenage girls about the potential dangers of posting and sharing personal information online.

The Department sponsors a number of resources to help educate parents about how to keep their kids safe on the Internet, including NetSmartz.org, isafe.org and WebWiseKids.org.

Since launching in 2004, the Online Sexual Exploitation campaign has garnered over $188 million in donated media support, and the toll-free number, 1-800-THE-LOST, has received more than 225,000 calls.

Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Forces:

•In 1998, the Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) recognized the Internet’s dangers and the real risk of technology-facilitated child sexual exploitation, and developed the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force Program. The purpose of ICAC is to help state and local law enforcement agencies acquire the knowledge, equipment and personnel resources they need to prevent, investigate and stop sexual crimes against children.

◦There are now 59 ICAC task forces across the country, each composed of state and local law enforcement agencies. These ICACs are on the front line addressing computer facilitated child sexual exploitation through aggressive investigations, prosecutions, computer forensics and community outreach.

"The task forces have reviewed nearly 200,000 complaints, resulting in the arrest of almost 11,000 individuals"

◦Since the program’s inception in 1998, the task forces have reviewed nearly 200,000 complaints, resulting in the arrest of almost 11,000 individuals across the country intent on sexually abusing children. In fiscal year 2007 alone, ICAC investigations led to more than 2,350 arrests and more than10,500 forensic examinations.
Once source of complaints reviewed by the ICAC task forces is Cybertipline referrals forwarded from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. These referrals typically come from Internet Service Providers. The Cybertipline has received over 500,000 tips and complaints since 1998.

◦ICAC task forces regularly conduct undercover operations across the country netting individuals bent on enticing and traveling to meet with those they think are young, vulnerable children.

Continued Support for Project Safe Childhood Efforts

In fiscal year 2008, state and local law enforcement agencies will receive more than $17 million to combat Internet crimes against children. The $17 million is administered by OJJDP in support of the ICAC task force program. The ICAC task forces have played a critical role in stopping Internet criminal activity targeting children.

The Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Program's SMART Office has developed several web-based tools that are now available to all state, local and tribal governments to assist with the implementation of the Adam Walsh Act. These tools enhance our awareness about the possible presence of sex offenders in our local communities and assist law enforcement in their efforts to manage and track sex offenders.

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Kentucky man forfeits home after viewing child porn there, kiddie porn is expensive, project safe attacks sexual exploitation of children, pedaphiles beware!

Viewing child pornography

can be hazardous

to your home

Kentucky man forfeits home after viewing

kiddie porn there

Advocates optomistic forfeiture will send a message
to future perpetrators

LEXINGTON MAN SENTENCED TO 188 MONTHS AND FORFEITS

HOME FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY VIOLATIONS

LEXINGTON, KY - A federal judge sentenced a Lexington man to 188 months in prison for child pornography violations and as part of the sentence the defendant has completely forfeited his interest in his residence located in the Chevy Chase subdivision.

This is the first case in the Eastern District of Kentucky (includes 67 counties) that a defendant has forfeited his home for child pornography violations.

U.S. Senior District Court Judge Karl Forrester sentenced 62-year-old Joseph Robert Leitner for receipt of child pornography. The sentence was the maximum time suggested by the sentencing guidelines prepared by the probation office.

Judge Forrester described the images Letiner possessed as horrific and unimaginable before he imposed the sentence.

Leitner agreed as part of his plea agreement to surrender his home on Cochran Drive.

The United States possesses the authority to seize the residence based on the high volume of images and the length of time Leitner used his home to download and view child pornography.

“Mr. Leitner used the privacy of his home to exploit children by downloading and viewing thousands images of child pornography over a period of several years,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Hydee Hawkins.

"Individuals who use their homes or other property to exploit children will also be subject to forfeiture of that property”

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Do you want more information about sexual exploitation of a child and how you can become involved?

project safe child

http://www.projectsafechildhood.gov/

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“This case demonstrates that like those whose homes are forfeited for drug related offenses, individuals who use their homes or other property to exploit children will also be subject to forfeiture of that property used to facilitate crimes against children.”

Prior to the sentence, a 54-year-old man testified before the court that Leitner sexually molested him repeatedly when he was between the ages of three and nine years old.

Leitner pleaded guilty in July and admitted that between March and May of 2008 he downloaded child pornography images. Leitner also acknowledged that he collected images, mostly of teenage boys between 11 and 14 years old, since 2005.

There were approximately 100 CDs and several computers seized during the search of Leitner’s residence in June 2008. Authorities examined the computer and CDs and discovered more than 40,000 images of child pornography that included children as young as six to 10 years old.

The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Kentucky

State Police (Electronic Crimes Section), and the Lexington Division of Police. 

 The United States was represented in the case by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hydee Hawkins and Robert Duncan. This case was brought as part of the Eastern District of Kentucky’s efforts pursuant to Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative dedicated to protecting children from online exploitation and abuse.

Editor's Note:  The government is getting tough on sex tourists, as well.  Sex tourists are men who fly to other countries in order to engage in sex with children and under age youths.  Many countries are not as aggressive in policing sexual exploitation of children, hence the tourists believe they can get away with their illegal activities in other nations.  An article about a sex ring can  be found at this link:

http://lawmancolo.blogspot.com/2009/12/fast-thinking-ice-officers-nab.html