Sometimes I shouldn't listen to the radio at work

The internet, for all of it's wonders and convenience, can also be a tool for the most depraved. It's becoming more difficult to be shocked as the coarseness of our culture continues to inecrease. Yet, when I heard this on the radio today, I was nearly ill and it took me a few moments to compose myself and begin working again.

27 charged in child porn sting

Three men from suburban Chicago and an Iowa woman were among 27 people indicted on charges of using an Internet chat room to traffic in thousands of images of child pornography, including streaming live molestations over the Web, federal authorities announced today.

"The behavior in these chat rooms and the images many of these defendants sent around the world through peer-to-peer file sharing programs and private instant messaging services are the worst imaginable forms of child pornography," U.S. Atty. Gen. Alberto R. Gonzales said.

For example, Gonzales said, one defendant who goes by the Internet screen name "Acidburn" "allegedly produced live streaming videos of himself sexually molesting an infant."

"Seven victims of molestation have been identified. The youngest was less than 18 months old," Gonzales said at a news conference in Chicago to announce the charges. Other participants included U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald and immigration and customs enforcement officials of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

"Less than 18 months old" - the mind reels, and words fail. How can someone do this to a child?

Let's make sure we get the names of the alleged monsters.

Those charged locally are Brian A. Annoreno, 29, of Bartlett—the "Acidburn" referred to by Gonzales—and Gregory J. Sweezer, 48, of Aurora and David B. Holst, 27, of North Aurora.

Lisa A. Winebrenner, 36, of Osceola, Iowa, was also charged.

Sweezer, Holst and Winebrenner go by the Internet screen names of "Acidburn," "Behrplus_925," "Yyydbh5182" and "HumbleDuchess," respectively, authorities said.

[...]

Officials identified the primary host of the chat room as Royal Raymond Weller, also known as "G.O.D.," of Clarksville, Tenn. Weller was arrested March 6 in Tennessee on federal child pornography charges.

[...]

If found guilty of the child pornography charges, the defendants could face federal prison terms ranging from 5 years for conspiracy as well as 10 years for possessing, 20 years for distributing and receiving and 30 years for manufacturing the illicit images.

People guilty of such things, generally seem to be incapable of reform. Should we have life sentences for repeat offenses? Some, might suggest the death penalty. I'm not convinced we should go that far, but I have to admit, I become enraged when the most innocent in society are treated in such a manner. The solutions will never be perfect, so we need to make sure that we think carefully and soberly about what laws and punishments are enacted or modified. This evil is bad enough, let's make sure we don't set ourselves up for disaster coming from another direction, by reacting only with passion instead of careful thought and consideration.

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