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Broken child porn network hid behind layers of encryption, authorities say

WASHINGTON - After James Freeman was vetted and approved for membership in what police describe as a highly sophisticated child porn network, he expressed his appreciation by posting two folders online: one labeled "mild," the other "wild."

"All I can say is that they are worth the download," wrote Freeman, 47, known in the global porn ring as "Mystikal," according to court documents. "My thanks to you and all the others that together make this the greatest group of pedos ever to gather in one place."

Freeman, of Santa Rosa Beach, was one of 12 Americans indicted last week in a worldwide investigation that charged 22 people with participating in the porn ring - and intentionally blocking police from investigating it.

In all, more than 400,000 pictures, video files and other images showing children engaged in sexual behavior were produced, advertised, traded and distributed globally in the online pornography ring, according to U.S. and international authorities.

The sting, which started in Australia, also netted suspects in England, Canada and Germany.

Some victims were as young as 5 years old. Others were preyed upon for characteristics such as wearing their hair in pigtails.

Authorities won't say how they eventually broke through several layers of encryption, background checks and other security measures the pornographers used to protect their online user group from being accessed. The porn ring was run like a business, FBI executive assistant director J. Stephen Tidwell said Tuesday, with the images used as currency instead of cash.

"This is beyond a quantum exponential leap for us to see folks that have gone to this much trouble to produce this kind of volume of horrific exploitation of children," Tidwell said in an interview.

So far, authorities have identified and rescued 20 of the children who were exploited, he said, adding: "But with 400,000 (images) we're going to be at this for years, trying to find the victims."

Australian investigators first discovered the ring and infiltrated it undercover in January 2006, said Ross Barnett, detective chief superintendent with the Queensland Police Service.

"From our perspective, it's definitely the largest and most sophisticated and disciplined group that we have ever seen operating in this environment," Barnett said.

A 35-count indictment unsealed Friday in U.S. District Court in Pensacola details conversations among the 12 men accused of trading and advertising the pornography. Two other Americans were also arrested in connection with the ring but not included in the indictment.

The suspects

Twelve U.S. men were indicted in a global child pornography ring:

-Michael Berger, 33, of Mechanicsville, Va.

-James Freeman, 47, of Santa Rosa Beach.

-Ruble Keys, 55, of Medford, Ore.

-Gary Lakey, 54, of Anderson, Ind.

-Marvin Lambert, 33, of Indianapolis.

-Neville McGarity, 40, of Medina, Texas.

-John Mosman, 46, of Waterbury, Conn.

-Warren Mumpower, 63, of Spokane, Wash.

-Raymond Roy, 54, of San Juan Capistrano, Calif.

-Erik Wayerski, 46, of Round Rock, Texas.

-Warren Weber, 56, of Boise, Idaho.

-Ronald White, 59, of Burlington, N.C.

Two men were charged in connection with the ring but not included in the indictment:

-Stepan Bondarenko, 38, of Philadelphia.

-Daniel Castleman, 43, of Lubbock, Texas.

Source: U.S. Justice Department.

[Last modified March 5, 2008, 01:53:32]