Child-Porn Sting Nets International Group
March 15, 2006 — -- Twenty-seven people have been charged in an online child-pornography sting, according to the Department of Justice.
Federal agents made arrests in Arizona, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Michigan, Nevada, New York, North Carolina and Tennessee, according to officials. The investigation began in Canada and included charges made in Australia and Britain.
The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency led the U.S. investigation. Details of the sting were announced today at a news conference in Chicago.
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales had said in the past that the Justice Department would focus on crimes against children and online pornography.
"The behavior in the chat room and the images sent around the world ... are the worst imaginable form of child pornography," Gonzales said today at the news conference.
Seven child victims of sexual molestation were identified as a result of the investigation, and four alleged molesters are among the 27 defendants charged in the continuing investigation.
In Chicago three defendants were charged with conspiracy to possess, receive, solicit and distribute child pornography in a seven-count indictment returned Tuesday by a federal grand jury in the Northern District of Illinois. A fourth defendant was charged separately in a related indictment.
The conspiracy indictment against Brian A. Annoreno, of Bartlett, Ill.; Gregory J. Sweezer, of Aurora, Ill.; and Lisa A. Winebrenner, of Osceola, Iowa; alleges that they, together with the other 24 individuals, tapped into the chat room from computers around the world and participated in the chat room through chats and file-sharing.
"Molestation 'on demand' and an ever-younger and more defenseless group of child victims are two of the most disturbing trends [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] investigators see when they infiltrate child-pornography rings. This case had both," said Julie Myers, assistant secretary for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
"I'm so pleased that international law enforcement cooperation has taken down this child-pornography ring. Thanks to our cooperative efforts, those who engage in this horrific behavior will not be allowed to roam unchallenged through cyberspace."
The indictment alleges that administrators of the chat room included Winebrenner, who used the screen name "HumbleDuchess"; "CuLeX," later identified as Jason Wilson, of Milton, Fla., who was arrested and charged with possession of child pornography in a criminal complaint in the Northern District of Florida; "Wharfrat," later identified as Michael Burns, of Reno, Nev., who was arrested and charged with possession of child pornography in the District of Nevada; "Lord Newbie," later identified as Kenneth Fisher, of Charlotte, N.C., who was arrested on state charges in North Carolina; "Fydei," later identified as Marcel Deslauriers, of Longueuil, Quebec, who was arrested and charged in Canada; "Sir_CP," later identified as a 65-year-old man from Mill Park, Victoria, Australia; and "DarcBiocode," later identified as a 22-year-old man from Stafford, Queensland, Australia.
The indictment says that some participants allegedly used minors to produce images of child pornography that were available to other participants, including by means of streaming video, which was exchanged privately through online instant messenger services.
Annoreno, who used the screen name "Acidburn," allegedly used an infant identified as "Minor A" to produce live streaming video of Annoreno molesting the infant.
In April 2005, "Big_daddy619" used four minors under the age of 12 to produce live streaming videos of him molesting all four children, which he transmitted live, via the Internet, to other chat room members, including Annoreno, who allegedly received the images.
The indictment further alleges that Winebrenner used a software program to destroy evidence on her computer. On March 10, Winebrenner allegedly advised others through an online discussion to destroy any such images.
A $20 Billion Black Market Business
Ernie Allen, president of the National Center for Missing and Exploited children said, "This is the type of aggressive law enforcement we need."
According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, child pornography has expanded online in recent years and is expected to grow. It is one of the fastest growing Internet businesses.
Currently, child pornography is a $20 billion a year black market industry worldwide and is expected to become a $30-$35 billion a year industry by 2009.
Today the National Center, along with major credit card carriers and banks and Internet companies formed a coalition called the Financial Coalition Against Child Pornography to try to combat the spread of child pornography. They hope their coordinated effort will limit the ease with which child pornographers can purchase images and videos.