|
Web Site Operator Pleads Guilty in Obscenity Case 12/5/2002 Gary Farris, 27, of Science Hill, Kentucky, pled guilty to violations of Title 18, United States Code, § 1461, for the knowing use of the mail to deliver non-mailable obscene matter, a videotape entitled "#90 Extreme Underground," which "depicts the physical and sexual abuse and mutilation of several women"; and Title 18, United States Code, § 1956, for conducting a financial transaction with the proceeds of the mailing of the obscene matter. The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Gregory F. Van Tatenhove, announced the plea in a press release December 2, 2002.
Farris was arrested on November 6, 2002, as the result of an undercover investigation conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky. The Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) of the Department of Justice and the FBI initiated the investigation as part of their "online obscenity initiative."
As part of his plea agreement, Farris will forfeit the equipment he used to operate the business and the cash proceeds from his illegal business. Additionally, he voluntarily abandoned the entire collection of 180 videotapes, which were advertised on his Web site, and also agreed to abandon the domain name and Web pages he operated under the name "taboomovies.net." Farris had voluntarily terminated operation of the Web site before his indictment.
Farris will be sentenced March 5, 2003, in London, Kentucky, by Karen K. Caldwell, U.S. district judge. On count one, Farris faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison, a fine of $250,000, or both; and, on count two, a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $500,000, or both.
We congratulate the U.S. Department of Justice for a successful resolution of this case. In the words of a great American, let's roll. There are thousands of Web sites advertising and distributing illegal pornography that need to share Farris' fate.
Reminder: A Web site operated by Morality In Media, www.obscenitycrimes.org, provides a form for reporting a Web site with material that is believed to be obscene. Reports are reviewed and those identifying prosecutable Web sites and porn spam are forwarded to the CEOS and the appropriate U.S. attorney's office. In just a few months of operation, more than 4,000 complaints have been filed. Let's all make use of this dynamic tool.
|
|
|
Concerned Women for America 1015 Fifteenth St. N.W., Suite 1100 Washington, D.C. 20005 Phone: (202) 488-7000 Fax: (202) 488-0806 |
Feedback / Questions? || Problem with this page? || Archives
