gonzo
08-03-2011, 04:34 PM
"Dreamboard members allegedly used the power and anonymity of the Internet to motivate each other to commit their horrific acts of sexual abuse of minors and trading in child pornography," Breuer said.
According to court documents, members employed a variety of methods to conceal their activities, using "screen names" and proxy servers, which can be used to reroute web traffic and disguise a user's actual location.
Dreamboard members also encouraged the use of encryption programs on their computers, which password-protect computer files to prevent law enforcement from accessing them in the event of a court-authorized search.
Officials said the charges and arrests were conducted in three separate phases over the course of the operation.
Four of the 13 individuals who have pleaded guilty for their roles in the conspiracy have been sentenced to prison.
On May 10, Timothy Lee Gentry, 33, of Burlington, Kentucky, was sentenced to 25 years in prison; on May 31, Michael Biggs, 32, of Orlando, Florida, was sentenced to 20 years; on June 22, Michael Childs, 49, of Huntsville, Alabama, was sentenced to 30 years; and on July 14, Charles Christian, 49, of Tilton, Illinois, was sentenced to more than 22 years in prison.
Operation Delego was conducted by the Justice Department with Homeland Security's Immigration and Customs Enforcement, along with other global law enforcement agencies including Eurojust, the European Union's Judicial Cooperation Unit and "dozens of law enforcement agencies throughout the world," the statement said.
http://news.yahoo.com/us-charges-72-global-child-porn-probe-171804960.html
According to court documents, members employed a variety of methods to conceal their activities, using "screen names" and proxy servers, which can be used to reroute web traffic and disguise a user's actual location.
Dreamboard members also encouraged the use of encryption programs on their computers, which password-protect computer files to prevent law enforcement from accessing them in the event of a court-authorized search.
Officials said the charges and arrests were conducted in three separate phases over the course of the operation.
Four of the 13 individuals who have pleaded guilty for their roles in the conspiracy have been sentenced to prison.
On May 10, Timothy Lee Gentry, 33, of Burlington, Kentucky, was sentenced to 25 years in prison; on May 31, Michael Biggs, 32, of Orlando, Florida, was sentenced to 20 years; on June 22, Michael Childs, 49, of Huntsville, Alabama, was sentenced to 30 years; and on July 14, Charles Christian, 49, of Tilton, Illinois, was sentenced to more than 22 years in prison.
Operation Delego was conducted by the Justice Department with Homeland Security's Immigration and Customs Enforcement, along with other global law enforcement agencies including Eurojust, the European Union's Judicial Cooperation Unit and "dozens of law enforcement agencies throughout the world," the statement said.
http://news.yahoo.com/us-charges-72-global-child-porn-probe-171804960.html