To serve six months for child pornography.
Feb 9, 2007 - Gilbert Telford, 68, a substitute teacher, has been indicted in what police say is the biggest child porn case they've investigated.
Telford was arrested Oct 23 after a complaint from a neighbor gave police probable cause to get a search warrant. Police seized five computers from Telford's home. The Maine Computer Crimes Task Force recovered tens of thousands of pornographic photos and more than 300 digital movies, some with children under 12.
(TT - headline on the Sun-Journal story is mistaken. He has not been convicted, only indicted.)
NOT GUILTY PLEA Mar 15 - Telford pleaded not guilty to child pornography. Police described it as the largest child porn case they had ever investigated. Gilbert Telford was arrested in October after police raided his home and found thousands of explicit pictures and videos on CD's, DVD's and videotapes.
TURNED HIMSELF IN Jan 18, 2008 - Telford turned himself in and was admitted to the jail. Apparently, they reached a plea agreement but the court was canceled due to bad weather. He hasn't even been sentenced yet. The prosecutor believes Telford will serve six months out of a longer sentence. Telford's defense attorney Telford's lack of a criminal record and age were factors in the mitigated sentence.
Police seized five computers from Telford's home, as well as numerous CDs, videos and DVDs. The Maine Computer Crimes Task Force discovered tens of thousands of pornographic photos of children as well as over 300 digital movies, some with children under the age of 12, according to police records.The Center for Missing and Exploited Children in Alexandria, Va., identified several missing children through Telford's material. None of the children in the material were local.[TT - All the more reason why they should have let the Feds prosecute the case because for damned sure he wouldn't get six months in jail.]
GUILTY PLEA and SENTENCING (sorta) Jan 24, 2008 - Telford pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography and was sentenced (sorta) to serve six months of a five-year prison sentence with six years of probation. He must register as a sex offender for 10 years.
Just a reminder: The housekeeper found spiral notebooks with profiles of and descriptions of boys, pornographic titles, Web site addresses, and airline flight schedules.The housekeeper also said Telford only displayed pictures of boys in the house and had asked her if she knew any young boys who could work around the house.
Police seized five computers from the house, as well as books, CDs and DVDs. The Maine Computer Crimes Task Force discovered about 7,500 pornographic pictures and dozens of video clips of prepubescent boys engaged in sexual activity.
Last September, Justice Joyce Wheeler ruled that the materials discovered in Telford's home were admissible as evidence. Defense attorney Walter McKee had argued that there was no evidence linking Telford's computers with child pornography and that the housekeeper had not reported seeing any child pornography in the house.TT - The same judge sentenced (sorta) Amy Bramwell.
