child pornography Archives - Oak Ridge Today

Oak Ridge man sentenced to 14 years for child pornography

Posted at 7:07 pm March 28, 2018
By Oak Ridge Today Staff 3 Comments

James Edward Hiatt

James Edward Hiatt

Note: This story was last updated at 10:38 p.m.

An Oak Ridge man was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison on Wednesday for distributing and possessing child pornography, authorities said.

James Edward Hiatt, 33, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas A. Varlan in U.S. District Court in Knoxville.

He had been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of distributing and possessing child pornography on February 17, 2016.

A sentencing memorandum filed September 11, 2017, said seized computer equipment found that Hiatt had about 2,900 digital images of child pornography and 1,400 digital videos. The child pornography included prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit activity, including “disturbing depictions of sadistic conduct, bondage, and bestiality involving very young children,” the sentencing memorandum said.

Hiatt consented to be interviewed during a search and admitted to knowingly downloading child pornography, the sentencing memorandum said. [Read more…]

Clinton man sentenced to 12 years for child pornography

Posted at 7:53 pm November 3, 2015
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A 20-year-old Clinton man was sentenced to 12 years in prison on Tuesday after he was convicted of receiving and possessing child pornography, federal officials said.

Dakota Destry Weaver, 20, of Clinton, was sentenced to serve 144 months, or 12 years, by Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas A. Varlan, a press release said.

A forensic examination of Weaver’s computer revealed that he had collected 1,106 still images and 78 videos of child pornography, according to the press release from the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Attorney William C. Killian of the Eastern District of Tennessee.

Weaver pleaded guilty in June 2015 to federal charges stemming from an undercover investigation into trading child pornography on the Internet, the press release said. [Read more…]

Sheriff: Two arrested on child pornography charges

Posted at 2:27 pm February 3, 2015
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Mario Luis Castilla

Mario Luis Castilla

Two Anderson County men have been arrested in unrelated child pornography cases, authorities said.

Mario Luis Castilla, 29, of Offutt Spur Road in Rocky Top, was indicted by the Anderson County Grand Jury on three counts of aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor and arrested January 8, Sheriff Paul White said.

Jeremy Keegan Cosgrove, 30, of Jersey Lane in Oak Ridge, was indicted on two counts of aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor and arrested January 31, White said. [Read more…]

Alexander aide accused in child porn case found dead in apparent suicide

Posted at 4:46 pm January 24, 2014
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The former chief of staff for Sen. Lamar Alexander who was arrested in December on child pornography charges was found dead in the basement of his parents’ home in Maryland on Thursday, apparently in a suicide.

Several media outlets, including the New York Times and Washington Post, have reported on the death of Ryan Loskarn, 35, who had been released to live with his parents after his Dec. 11 arrest.

Loskarn had been charged with possessing and distributing child pornography. [Read more…]

Ex-Alexander aide released into parents’ custody

Posted at 12:15 pm December 18, 2013
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Information from WYSH Radio

The fired, now former chief of staff for U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander has been released from jail, pending his trial on child pornography charges.

On Monday, a federal judge allowed Ryan Loskarn, 35, to be released and live with his parents in Maryland while he’s awaiting trial on charges of possessing and attempting to distribute child pornography. In appealing for his release, Loskarn’s lawyers argued that he had no prior convictions or arrests. The judge ruled that Loskarn must stay inside his parents’ home and be electronically monitored. Additionally, he is prohibited from having any access to the Internet. [Read more…]

Alexander replaces chief of staff after child porn raid at former aide’s home

Posted at 5:34 pm December 11, 2013
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander

Lamar Alexander

The former chief of staff for U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander has been taken off the payroll following a child pornography raid at the former aide’s home, and the Republican senator from Tennessee has already named a new chief of staff.

David Cleary, who has worked for Alexander for eight years, is the new chief of staff, Alexander said in a Wednesday evening press release. The senator said Cleary is well-prepared for the position.

Earlier Wednesday, Alexander said the Senate legal counsel’s office told him that law enforcement agents were searching the home of Ryan Loskarn, 35, who had been the senator’s chief of staff in his Washington, D.C., office. The search was related to child pornography allegations, Alexander said.

“I am stunned, surprised, and disappointed by what I have learned,” the senator said. [Read more…]

Sen. Alexander’s chief of staff placed on leave during child pornography investigation

Posted at 12:03 pm December 11, 2013
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Note: This story was last updated at 12:52 p.m.

U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander on Wednesday said his chief of staff in Washington, D.C., has been placed on leave as law enforcement agents search the man’s home to investigate child pornography allegations.

“I was just informed by the United States Senate legal counsel’s office that law enforcement agents are conducting a search of the personal residence of Ryan Loskarn, the chief of staff of my Washington, D.C., office, regarding allegations involving child pornography,” Alexander said in a Wednesday morning statement. “I am stunned, surprised, and disappointed by what I have learned. Based on this information, I immediately placed Mr. Loskarn on administrative leave without pay. The office is fully cooperating with the investigation.”

U.S. Postal Inspectors conducted the raid of Loskarn’s home, according to NBC News.

“The Postal Inspectors Service was involved in a law enforcement action in Southeast D.C.,” a spokesman for the agency told NBC News, declining further comment.

Loskarn is a longtime Alexander aide and was named the Tennessee Republican senator’s chief of staff in 2012, according to Politico. [Read more…]