Massachusetts Man Sentenced on Child Pornography Charges
On October 3, 2012, the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts announced that Steven Saunders, a former resident of Groton, pled guilty to child pornography charges. Saunders was currently living in Chula Vista, California.
Because of the grotesque nature of the charges, the government asked for 51 months in prison and a lifetime of supervised release. On October 1, 2012, U.S. District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock only sentenced Saunders to six days in prison and 10 years of supervised release.
Warning: the following facts are graphic and may offend some readers.
According to statements from the FBI, Saunders was in possession of images that contained minors being penetrated or “having a sexual act performed on them.” The FBI also reports the following, “Saunders admitted that he maintained an online relationship with someone with whom he chatted about having children together and having the children engage in sexual activity with the parents themselves, as well as having children engage in sexual contact with each other.”
When Saunder’s apartment was searched, authorities found that he had been downloading hundreds of images for about one year—mostly of minor females. Saunders told the FBI he started to download the photos for “shock value.”
Authorities found more than 180 photos on Saunder’s computer and seven videos of child pornography. The videos contained most prepubescent girls, but the videos also contained toddlers and even infants.
The announcement of the charges and sentencing were announced by U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz, Special Agent in Charge Richard DesLauriers, and Chief Donald Palma of the Groton Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael I. Yoon and Stacy Dawson Belf under the Major Crimes Unit and Trial Attorney Thomas Franzinger under the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation
Child Abuse and Neglect
What is Child Abuse and Neglect?
The illegal act of child abuse and neglect is formally defined as the general mishandling–through unlawful wrongdoing, neglect, or unethical activity–of a minor or child. Child abuse and neglect can be a physical, emotional or psychological attack on a minor or child, as well as the impediment of any basic right or necessity—preventing a child from attending school, for example, is a common form of child neglect.
Child neglect is a form of child abuse that occurs when the youth is impeded from receiving adequate care that is delivered as a basic human right to aid in the child’s development and growth. Any neglectful actions that impede a child’s well-being and prevents them from living a happy and healthy life is regarded as child neglect.
The legal definition of child abuse and neglect will differentiate between jurisdictions; each state has developed particular statutes to elucidate on the unfortunate, yet prevalent act. The varying regulations and interpretations aligned with child abuse and neglect are instituted to develop a qualification system in regards to removing a child from his or her family and or placing a criminal charge on the aggressor.
Types of Child Abuse and Neglect:
Physical Abuse and Neglect: The child is either physically abused or tangible goods, that are meant to better the child’s life, are made unavailable.
Emotional and Psychological child abuse and neglect: The child is constantly belittled and called names to the point where his or her self-image becomes horribly distorted. In regards to emotional neglect, the child is impeded from receiving psychological care, is withheld from affection and constantly belittled.
What to do if you suspect Child Abuse and Neglect:
If you suspect a situation of child abuse and neglect or you yourself suffer from the negative effects of child abuse and neglect, you must immediately report the aggressor to your local child protective services agency. Each state possesses a network of these agencies, which are established to deliver resources that encourage children and those suspecting of child abuse and neglect to come forward and reveal the heinous situation.
If you hold back and let these unfortunate actions continue, you are jeopardizing the health of the child; instances of child abuse and neglect rarely wane, but instead, intensify to the point where the child is irreparably disabled, whether in a physical, emotional or psychological sense. It is your responsibility, as a citizen of the United States, to report such instances; revealing acts of child abuse and neglect could save a life from peril and dismay.
