MYNORTHWEST NEWS

Two men charged in international child porn network

Aug 3, 2011, 1:34 PM | Updated: Oct 10, 2012, 7:28 am

Two men from the Seattle area are among 72 people charged with viewing and trading child pornography as part of an international online network.

Attorney General Eric Holder and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano say a law enforcement effort called Operation Delego investigated more than 500 people around the world since the probe was launched in December 2009.

Holder and Napolitano say those charged were involved in Dreamboard _ a private, members-only, online bulletin board created to promote pedophilia.

According to documents released in the probe, members traded tens of thousands of graphic images and videos of adults molesting children 12 years old and under.

Among those identified from this area is William Barton, known to members as blackbart2010. He was arrested in April.

Agents traced an Internet provider address to Redmond and last week arrested 26-year-old Eric Francis. At his apartment, investigators seized 21 video files featuring sexually explicit images of children.

The U.S. Attorney says some of the victims were infants.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

MyNorthwest News

visa layoffs bellevue...

MyNorthwest Staff

Visa laying off 70 workers at Bellevue office as part of 2,600-job global cut

Visa announced it is laying off 70 workers at its downtown Bellevue office this fall.

27 minutes ago

bonney lake stabbing swat barricade...

MyNorthwest Staff

Deadly stabbing near Bonney Lake: Suspect barricaded, SWAT on scene

The Pierce County Sheriff's Office is investigating a deadly stabbing near Buckley.

2 hours ago

spokane complex fire...

Lexi Herda, KIRO 7 News

Spokane Complex Fires: Thousands evacuated and hundreds of buildings burned

Thousands are being evacuated, and over 600 structures have been destroyed by a series of wildfires in the Spokane area, collectively known as the Spokane Complex fires.

2 hours ago

spokane area fires complex...

Jake Chapman, KIRO 7 News

‘Widespread destruction’: On the ground in Spokane

The Spokane Area Fires Complex has destroyed more than 600 structures, including homes, and forced thousands of residents to evacuate their properties.

2 hours ago

ebay bellevue man...

Julia Dallas

‘The amount of stolen property is staggering’: Bellevue man sentenced in nearly $7M stolen goods scheme using Amazon, eBay

A man who lived in Bellevue and Las Vegas was sentenced Wednesday for his role in a scheme to sell stolen goods on Amazon and eBay.

3 hours ago

Smoky conditions in Seattle were especially bad in 2022, when this photo was taken. (Photo: Bill Ka...

Ted Buehner, KIRO Newsradio Meteorologist

Smoky conditions expected in western Washington this week from BC wildfires

Wildfire smoke is about to spread into Western Washington.

16 hours ago

Two men charged in international child porn network