NBC29Three Men Plead Guilty in Child Porn Cases

Federal prosecutors in Charlottesville say they won back-to-back-to-back guilty pleas Thursday from men sending and viewing child pornography online.

"We've also discovered video images which demonstrate the awful brutal victimization of these particular children," said Assistant United States Attorney Nancy Healey at a news conference.

Ian A. Zearley of Charlottesville pleaded guilty to one count of receiving child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography.

Mark Church of Louisa pleaded guilty to one count of possessing child pornography.

Patrick William Kreutzer of Mineral pleaded guilty to one count of transporting child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography.

Each man faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison.

 Prosecutors say these cases indicate a larger trend. "I think it's fair to say that it's more pervasive than people realize and we think it's only going to rise," said U.S. Attorney Tim Heaphy.

He said protecting kids starts with parents. "The best thing the parents can do is talk to their children about that threat," Heaphy said. "It's a difficult subject to broach sometimes but it's an important one, it's a necessary one."

The feds are also pushing a new effort to crack down on child porn trafficking by educating kids about the dangers that lurk online. "They believe they're invincible and they need sort of to be reined in without totally imprisoning them," Healey said.

But the big message from Heaphy Thursday was directed at sexual predators: "Be aware that we are watching you. Be aware that we will catch you. And be aware that you will go to jail."

Reported by Adam Rhew
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