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Man, 72, accused of child porn
Roger Stowell, a 72-year-old retiree with no Florida arrest history, walked off an airplane and into federal custody Sunday night. Authorities accused him of having child pornography on his computer. His family turned him in.
By COLLEEN JENKINS
Published April 10, 2007
TAMPA -- Roger Stowell, a 72-year-old retiree with no Florida arrest history, walked off an airplane and into federal custody Sunday night. Authorities accused him of having child pornography on his computer. His family turned him in. Stowell's wife of more than 40 years noticed her husband spent a lot of time on his home computer, according to federal court records. He was secretive about it. Once, she saw nude children on the screen when he forgot to cover it. Last month, when her husband took a solo trip to Peru, she called the Hillsborough Sheriff's Office. She told them she had never seen her husband act inappropriately around children. They had four grown kids of their own. But she recalled how Stowell was fired long ago from his job as principal of a school in Germany after allegations that he molested a boy. He was not charged. Stowell's adult son told authorities that he found thousands of pornographic images of children on his father's computer after his mother asked him to take a look. That got the attention of a multiagency task force that targets Internet sex crimes involving minors. Some of the images found on Stowell's computer showed him with what appeared to be the same children shown in pornographic images and movies. The images looked as though they were taken outside the United States, perhaps in South America, federal records said. Stowell, of 4808 Wynwood Drive, Tampa, was arrested at Tampa International Airport after he returned from the Peru trip. He is being held at the Orient Road Jail and is scheduled to appear in federal court today. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, he had pornographic images of children with him at the time of his arrest. Colleen Jenkins can be reached at 813 226-3337 or cjenkins@sptimes.com.
[Last modified April 10, 2007, 00:41:00]
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by Have guts
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05/30/07 06:32 PM
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I can only wonder why it took you 25 years to turn the bastard in. You must have suspected SOMETHING. What about all those children that suffered unspeakable evil acts at this sicko's hand. You should have stopped him LONG ago.
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by anon2
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04/17/07 05:34 PM
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I am another brother of the boy he molested in Germany in the 80's. Thank you so much for helping to put him behind bars, this brings back painful memories but is worth it to get this man off the streets.
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by Sandra
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04/17/07 04:00 PM
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In further thought, to the Stowell family, I applaud you for turning him in. That has to be so very hard, too. We grieve for our son, but also grieve for you and your family..
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by Sandra
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04/17/07 02:35 PM
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I am the mother of the child he molested in Berlin. This has reopened deep wounds. I am shaking inside and out. Mrs.Stowell and son,thank you for finally turning him in. I wish you had helped stop him more than 25 years ago so my son could have lived
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by Anon
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04/17/07 12:47 PM
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I am the Brother of the 'boy' he molested in Berlin Germany in the mid 80's. I am very happy that you turned your husband in for his crimes. I know my Brother would be too, unfortunately, after the incident he led quite a rough life and has passed.
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by Ted
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04/13/07 11:23 AM
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Mrs Stowell, Mr Stowell will get out of jail someday. Will you fear for you life?
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by Debbie
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04/10/07 09:36 PM
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Mrs Stowell,until death do us part, he rally love u and ur family didnt he.This man is another baked in the sun perfert that should be hung by his family.I feel so sorry for u Mrs Stowell.
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by L
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04/10/07 08:32 PM
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Mrs. Stowell, May God bless you.you are one Good woman.
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by Haven
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04/10/07 04:26 PM
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Gee, wonder what he was doing in Peru?
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by Jason A.
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04/10/07 11:43 AM
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DUDE! YOU'RE LIKE 72!! Go to Mons Venus like everyone else! sheesh.... Go get a hooker/escort... Jeez.. Just leave the kids alone
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by Lynn
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04/10/07 10:07 AM
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We are faced, at times, in life between exposing a wrong and hiding a wrong.
Mrs. Stowell, what you did was commendable and right. For all your courage, I applaud you.
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by charles
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04/10/07 09:18 AM
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give this sucker a fair trial and then hang him .
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by Maurice
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04/10/07 09:03 AM
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Unbelieveable, my coalition against child sexual predators tries to do all we can but it is also up to them families out there to help us out also.
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by Kendra
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04/10/07 08:30 AM
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Mrs. Stowell i give you your props and courage for what you had to do. I dont think that to many people would have done this@ all.I know that u r hurting & @ the same time those kids r hurting to. There r so many sick people out here not enough help
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by DEE
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04/10/07 03:08 AM
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Wow Mrs Stowell What courage you have ,I wish there were more people like you and your son around to protect the children .I know it must have been like a punch in the face to see what he was doing on the computer.we all thank you.we will pray for yo
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News
Fifty years ago, they were screwed-up kids sent to the Florida School for Boys to be straightened out. But now they are screwed-up men, scarred by the whippings they endured. Read the story and see a video and portrait gallery.
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