Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child Porn
A 37-year-old Santa Ana man who told police he considered child pornography to be a form of art pleaded guilty in Los Angeles federal court Tuesday to possessing pornography he got on the Internet.
Under a plea agreement, Craig Allen Williams admitted to authorities that his personal computer contained files of at least 1,233 still images and 65 video images of minors engaged in graphic sexual behavior, said Assistant U.S. Atty. Nancy Spiegal.
He faces a maximum of five years in prison when he is sentenced by U.S. District Judge Lourdes Baird on Dec. 17.
“We’ve always prosecuted violations of the same statute, but we feel the Internet has made the problem more serious,” Spiegal said.
“One of the reasons is that the Internet allows people to be anonymous. They don’t have to say who they are and they don’t have to give a mailing address. There’s also an ease of availability. You can spend 24 hours a day and have worldwide access to the material.”
Police arrested Williams on July 16 on a tip from his brother, who also had been caught with child pornography, police said.
He remains in federal custody.
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