Man ‘Addicted’ to Child Porn Gets Lesser Term
A man who admitted possessing child pornography received less prison time than federal guidelines call for because the judge found him addicted to pornography.
Federal sentencing guidelines called for 21 to 24 months in prison for Michael Bethard, but U.S. District Judge F.A. Little Jr. gave him 13 months Friday and recommended he be treated in prison.
Bethard, 51, pleaded guilty in May to possessing child pornography. Investigators said he downloaded almost 700 computer diskettes of pornography, most of it showing children, some as young as 4, engaged in sexual acts.
Bethard had previously worked part time in the juvenile wing of a hospital. He was fired immediately after pleading guilty to the pornography charge.
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