INTERNATIONAL Online Child Predator(s): Greek Citizen Georgios Sgouros, 43 and 5 other (U.S. Citizens) from Colorado sentenced between 78 and 120 months in PRISON

Greek Man Sentenced for Traveling in Interstate Commerce with Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual Act with Minor

Georgios Sgouros, 43, of Athens, Greece, was sentenced in March 2012 by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Wiley Y. Daniel to 10 years in federal prison for traveling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. Following his prison sentence, Chief Judge Daniel ordered Sgouros to serve 10 years on supervised release, although the defendant is a citizen and national of Greece and therefore will likely before face deportation.

Sgouros was charged by criminal complaint on June 16th, 2010. He was indicted by a federal grand jury in Denver on July 12th, 2010. He pled guilty to travel with the intent to engage in sexual conduct charge on December 1st, 2011.

According to court documents, on January 28th, 2010, a United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) special agent posed in an undercover sting Operation as a single Mom with two girls, age 5 respectively 7.

While in an undercover capacity, the Agent engaged in an Internet chat with Sgouros, who expressed interest in traveling to Colorado in having sex with the two childrengirls. During the chats, Sgouros and the undercover agent also discussed the logistics of where he would stay during his visit, and how they would meet up at the International airport in Denver.

During the next several months, Sgouros and the undercover agent exchanged e-mails as well as private chats on the Internet regarding Sgouros’ intention to engage in sexual activity with the children.

On June 13th and 14th, 2010, the man, IDd as Georgios Sgouros, e-mailed the undercover agent his travel itinerary from Athens, Greece to Denver. As on June 15th, 2010, Sgouros was admitted into the United States by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at Philadelphia International Airport. He arrived in the U.S. aboard a flight from Amsterdam. He then flew from Philadelphia to Denver, where he was met by ICE special agents and taken into custody.

Other Project Safe Childhood Sentencings

Michael Bilotta

Michael Bilotta of Garfield County, Colorado, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge John L. Kane to serve 100 months in federal prison, followed by a life term of supervised release for possession of child pornography. On three separate occasions, the defendant was discovered sharing hundreds of gigabytes online, which constituted tens of thousands of images and videos of child pornography, including images of children as you as 10 years old. In total, Bilotta possessed over 100.000 images of child pornography.

Sean Scott

Sean Scott of Pueblo, Colorado, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge John L. Kane to serve 120 months in federal prison, followed by a life term of supervised release for possession of child pornography. On two separate occasions, the defendant possessed hundreds of images and videos of child pornography. He shared his collection of over 185 videos of child pornography online, and some of the videos depicted the sounds of the children’s abuse.

Daniel Petura

Daniel Petura of Arapahoe County, Colorado, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Philip A. Brimmer to serve 78 months in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for possession of child pornography. The defendant bought a subscription to a website that provided child pornography and accessed the website approximately 4.000 times. Petura was found in possession of over 1.500 images of child pornography, some depicting infants, and some of which he had obtained from the subscription website.

Stephen Mark Erway

Stephen Mark Erway of Denver, Colorado, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Lewis T. Babcock for violating the terms of his probation for possession of child pornography. Erway was convicted in 1988 with crimes related to the sexual exploitation of minors, including child pornography. He served a prison sentence and was released on probation. While on probation, he violated the terms of his probation by improperly using computers and by engaging in online relationships with minors.

James Matthew Allen

James Matthew Allen of Denver, Colorado, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William J. Martinez to serve 120 months in federal prison, followed by 12 years of supervised release, for possession of child pornography. Allen was a registered sex offender at the time he was discovered trading images of child pornography online. He was found in possession of just under 150 images of child pornography.

November 26th 2013: One of the Longest Child Pornography Sentences in Colorado History goes to Richard Franklin (a.k.a “westfaliaimplant”)

Denver Man Sentenced to 100 Years in Federal Prison for Advertising Child Pornography and Other Child Pornography-Related Crimes

Judge Wiley Y. Daniel

Richard Franklin, a.k.a “westfaliaimplant”, age 45 of Denver, Colorado, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Wiley Y. Daniel to serve 1200 months (100 years) in federal prison for:

• advertising child pornography, 
• receipt of child pornography, 
• two counts of distribution of child pornography, 
• and possession of child pornography.  

Today’s sentence, one of the longest child pornography sentences in Colorado history, essentially means the defendant will spend the rest of his life in prison. Judge Daniel also ordered Franklin to serve a lifetime of supervised release. The defendant, who appeared at the hearing in custody, was remanded. 

Franklin was indicted by a federal grand jury in Denver on June 8th, 2011. He was found guilty on August 27th 2013, following a seven-day jury trial. He was sentenced today, November 26th, 2013. 

According to court documents, as well as facts presented at trial, from May 11th 2009 and January 5th 2011, Franklin knowingly made, printed or published any notice or advertisement offering to receive, exchange or distribute child pornography to anyone who was a member of his Online Trading Circle. Further, the defendant knowingly received and distributed child pornography using the Internet.

Lastly, Franklin knowingly possessed images of child pornography.

For example: Filesharing Software

In total, the defendant possessed multiple hard drives containing over 200,000 images of child pornography. Franklin used a file trading software to allow others to preview and browse his collection and to chat with fellow child pornography traders. Part of the trading of images was to encourage purveyors to produce new child pornography videos. As a result of this investigation, two young children, both under 12 years old, were rescued from their abusers.When imposing the sentence, the Court stated that the crimes of the defendant were:

“pernicious and evil” and “must be dealt with in the most severe way.”

U.S. Attorney John Walsh said:

“The Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood continues to work aggressively to protect children from those who would exploit them. In cases such as this, we work diligently to punish those who provide these horrible images, with the goal of reducing both the availability and demand.”

FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Thomas Ravenelle said:

Thomas Ravenelle

“The FBI will continue to aggressively pursue those who prey on children, especially those who advertise, trade and/or produce child pornography. Crimes of this nature threatened to destroy our most precious resource, offend every sensibility, and cannot be tolerated. The FBI and our partners will spare no expense or resource to bring them to justice.”

This case was investigate by the Denver and Phoenix Field Offices of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Additional Information about the Judge Wiley Y. Daniel can be found here.