The FBI and international authorities have put an end to one of the most sophisticated global child pornography rings encountered in the past years, but managed to do so only after the network managed to distribute more than 400,000 pictures and videos of children engaged in sexual activities.
The charges brought against them were of engaging in a child
exploitation enterprise, advertisement of child pornography, transportation of child pornography, receipt of child pornography and obstruction of justice, because the ring was encrypted to keep investigators out.
The Men found to be guilty of the above charges, according to the United States' Justice Department, are:
Michael Berger, 33, of Mechanicsville, Va.
James Freeman, 47, of Santa Rosa Beach, Fla.
Ruble Keys, 55, of Medford, Ore.
Gary Lakey, 54, of Anderson, Ind.
Marvin Lambert, 33, of Indianapolis.
Neville McGarity, 40, of Medina, Texas.
John Mosman, 46, of Waterbury, Conn.
Warren Mumpower, 63, of Spokane, Wash.
Raymond Roy, 54, of San Juan Capistrano, Calif.
Erik Wayerski, 46, of Round Rock, Texas.
Warren Weber, 56, of Boise, Idaho.
Ronald White, 59, of Burlington, N.C.
Additionally, two other men were charged in connection with the ring but not included in the indictment, the Associated Press reports. They were:
Stepan Bondarenko, 38, of Philadelphia.
Daniel Castleman, 43, of Lubbock, Texas.
Fighting online child pornography has been a goal set before the authorities for a long time, and this recent breakthrough should pave the way of more to come, as insight on the techniques and the encryption system used is now available for further reference. The charges weighing down on the group are extremely heavy and I dare say that were they to escape the long arm of the law due to a judicial procedural error, they would have to fight to change their identities, as many people find it only just to take justice into their own hands when something of this magnitude happens.
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