THREE CHILD PORNOGRAPHERS SENTENCED TO A TOTAL OF ALMOST 99 YEARS IN PRISON

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Three Iowa men involved in child pornography were sentenced yesterday and today to a total of over 98 years in federal prison, U.S. Attorney Matt M. Dummermuth announced today.

David Evan Starr, 45, of Marion, Iowa, received a 60-year prison term yesterday after a July 13, 2006, jury verdict finding him guilty of two counts of sexually exploiting children by using them to produce child pornography, one count of attempting to sexually exploit a child, two counts of receipt and attempted receipt of child pornography, and four counts of possession of child pornography. He was also sentenced to a life term of supervised release following his prison term.

The court said Starr “is a predator in the truest sense of the word.” The judge added that the sentence was imposed to ensure Starr was “confined for the rest of his life.”

Evidence at trial showed Starr met 16- and 17-year-old girls over the Internet and persuaded them to take and send to him sexually explicit pictures and videos of themselves. Two of the girls were from Arizona, one was from Illinois, and one was from New York. The victims testified they spent hours communicating with Starr either on-line or on the telephone. Agents searched Starr’s home and office and found printed copies of Web site profiles for scores of minors and young women. Starr had taken notes on the profiles as he communicated with his victims and kept files on them.

Todd Hansel, 44, of Cedar Rapids, received a 14-year prison term yesterday after an October 27, 2006, guilty plea to one count of possession of child pornography and one count of distribution of child pornography. He also received a 15-year term of supervised release to follow his prison term and a $10,000 fine.

At his plea hearing, Hansel admitted that, in June 2006, he used his home computer and an Internet messenger program to transport images of child pornography during an on-line chat session. In June 2006, Hansel also stored child pornography on his home computer. Hansel possessed between 150 and 300 images of child pornography on his computer, including images portraying sadistic and masochistic conduct. Some images were of prepubescent children engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

Thomas Michael Martin, 56, of Cedar Rapids, received a 292-month prison term today after a March 14, 2007, guilty plea to two counts of possession and attempted possession of child pornography. He also received a 15-year term of supervised release to follow his prison term.

At his plea hearing, Martin admitted that, in January 2007, he possessed pictures of children, including children under the age of 12, engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Martin also admitted some of the images he possessed portrayed sadistic conduct. In total, Martin possessed over 600 images of child pornography. Martin was convicted in 1991 in Mahaska County, Iowa, for indecent contact with a child.

“These cases are graphic reminders that Internet predators are out there ready to do our children harm,” state U.S. Attorney Dummermuth. “All parents need to be vigilant supervising their children’s Internet use, and all children need to be aware that an apparent Internet friend may turn out to be just the opposite in real life.”

All three defendants are being held in the U.S. Marshal’s custody until they can be transported to a federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system.

These cases were filed as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, United States Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

The Starr case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean R. Berry and investigated by the FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Marion Police Department, and the Iowa Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

The Martin and Hansel cases were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ian K. Thornhill and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department and the Iowa Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

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