Local News in Brief : Agent Guilty in Porn Case
A California agent for child actors was convicted in a New Jersey court Monday on charges of interstate transportation of child pornography.
A Camden federal court jury found Robert D. Villard of Van Nuys guilty on two counts of transporting a pornographic photo and two magazines aimed at pedophiles to New Jersey on Nov. 14, 1986, and then transporting them back to California two days later.
Villard, 40, was allowed to remain free on bail at his parents’ San Diego home until his April 22 sentencing.
Villard is expected to appeal the conviction, primarily because during the weeklong trial jurors heard only descriptions of the pornographic photo in question, rather than viewing the photo itself.
U.S. District Court Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez prohibited prosecutors from using one magazine as evidence because of improper search techniques. Police seized the publication while arresting Villard last September at his home.
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