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[February 14, 2010]

Rumford man gets 14 years in federal prison on Internet porn charge

Feb 14, 2010 (Sun Journal - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- A Rumford man who pleaded guilty in federal court last fall to distributing child pornography was sentenced to 14 years in prison on Thursday, according to a report from the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Anthony Scott Richards, 34, of 244 1/2 Pine St. was sentenced to federal prison, fined $200 and ordered to forfeit his computer equipment. U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy also imposed a lifetime of supervision.

While there is no parole in the federal system, Richards can earn a reduction for "good behavior" that can't exceed 15 percent of the overall sentence.

Had Richards not pleaded guilty, Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcia K. Hurd would have proved the following at trial: --On Dec. 4, 2008, a detective with the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force had assumed the online identity of a child pornographer who had been actively trading child pornography with other people. The child pornographer had been arrested and allowed agents to assume his identity.

--The detective sent generic offline messages via Yahoo! Instant Messenger to all of the person's contact list, which included "Mainebim4u," to see if anyone would respond.

--While chatting as the child pornographer on Feb. 10, 2009, the detective received several offline messages from Yahoo!, including "Mainebim4u," who also sent pictures of child pornography to the detective.

--"Mainebim4u" was later identified as Anthony Scott Richards of Rumford.

--Richards then asked the detective if he had any "good pictures" from an individual who was actually an undercover agent posing as a single female with two minor daughters.

--The detective told Richards there were four photographs depicting the two minor daughters naked.

--Richards then wanted the sexually explicit photographs of the two minor daughters and asked to talk with the "mother." --The detective gave Richards profile information for the undercover agent, whom Richards contacted on March 5 and sent him a picture of child pornography.

Based on the FBI and Montana task force investigation, Richards was arrested on March 31 by the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Task Force and charged with felony possession of child pornography.

Rumford police arrested Richards two days later on a charge of sexually touching a young Rumford girl, whose photograph was among those sent over Yahoo! Instant Messenger.

Richards remained free on bail until April 8, when U.S. Secret Service agents picked him up. In mid-April, he was extradited to Montana to await trial.

tkarkos@sunjournal.com To see more of the Sun Journal or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.sunjournal.com. Copyright (c) 2010, Sun Journal, Lewiston, Maine Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

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