AN Australian man has been sentenced to more than seven years in a US jail for transporting and possessing pornography involving children as young as three.
Martin Edward Towell, 31, of Sydney, was arrested at Los Angeles international airport in August last year after arriving on a flight from Sydney.
US District Court Judge Florence-Marie Cooper handed down the 90-month jail sentence in Los Angeles today, ordering Towell to serve it in a US federal prison.
Towell was arrested after a US Customs and Border Protection officer searched his luggage at the airport and inspected his MP3 multimedia player.
Authorities found more than 1000 images and six digital video files of child pornography on the MP3.
Some of the video files depicted children as young as three and four "involved in graphic sexual activity with an adult male", the US Department of Justice said.
Towell admitted to authorities that he had downloaded the images and videos onto the MP3 player and that he knew it was illegal to possess the child pornography within the United States.
The case against Towell was the result of an investigation by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the FBI and the Australian Federal Police.
"This investigation showcases the commitment of law enforcement agencies here and worldwide to protect children from sexual predators," said Robert Schoch, special agent in charge of the ICE office of investigations in Los Angeles.
"This sentencing is a reminder of the serious consequences that await those who prey upon and sexually exploit the most vulnerable among us."
In February 2007, Towell pleaded guilty to two federal charges transporting child pornography and possessing child pornography.
He pleaded guilty on the day his jury trial was due to begin.
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I can't believe this ****. I seriously can not. These guys should have their penii amputated. OMG this horrifies me. my neice is 3 years old...
I promise that if anything like this ever happened to any 3 year old kid i know, and i found the person, I will break his skull open and take a dump in it.
Martin Edward Towell, 31, of Sydney, was arrested at Los Angeles international airport in August last year after arriving on a flight from Sydney.
US District Court Judge Florence-Marie Cooper handed down the 90-month jail sentence in Los Angeles today, ordering Towell to serve it in a US federal prison.
Towell was arrested after a US Customs and Border Protection officer searched his luggage at the airport and inspected his MP3 multimedia player.
Authorities found more than 1000 images and six digital video files of child pornography on the MP3.
Some of the video files depicted children as young as three and four "involved in graphic sexual activity with an adult male", the US Department of Justice said.
Towell admitted to authorities that he had downloaded the images and videos onto the MP3 player and that he knew it was illegal to possess the child pornography within the United States.
The case against Towell was the result of an investigation by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the FBI and the Australian Federal Police.
"This investigation showcases the commitment of law enforcement agencies here and worldwide to protect children from sexual predators," said Robert Schoch, special agent in charge of the ICE office of investigations in Los Angeles.
"This sentencing is a reminder of the serious consequences that await those who prey upon and sexually exploit the most vulnerable among us."
In February 2007, Towell pleaded guilty to two federal charges transporting child pornography and possessing child pornography.
He pleaded guilty on the day his jury trial was due to begin.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
I can't believe this ****. I seriously can not. These guys should have their penii amputated. OMG this horrifies me. my neice is 3 years old...
I promise that if anything like this ever happened to any 3 year old kid i know, and i found the person, I will break his skull open and take a dump in it.
