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Child Porn Kingpin Indicted
A 68-year-old man from Cumberland, Maryland, has been indicted for operating an online bulletin board that circulated child pornography and links to other child porn websites.
George Sell is accused of managing the day-to-day operations of Country Lounge, a secure web-based bulletin board that advertised and offered pictures and web addresses directing members to websites depicting the sexual abuse of minors.
The indictment alleges that Sell conspired with others to publish notices and advertisements on Country Lounge from December 2006 to August 2008. During this time, Sell allegedly arranged for and obtained different web host companies to host County Lounge on computer servers maintained by members of the conspiracy.
The indictment also alleges that Sell decided and assigned a hierarchy of administrators and membership levels to Country Lounge members. Each level of membership contained different duties and responsibilities, and members were instructed by a specific set of rules and guidelines on how to post images using Country Lounge in order to avoid detection from law enforcement.
As of August 2008, 142 members belonged to Country Lounge. Sell faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison for conspiracy to advertise child pornography, 20 years in prison for conspiracy to transport child pornography, and 10 years in prison on each of the two counts for possession of child pornography.
The charges announced today are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law. The investigation is part of a larger probe called Operation Nest Egg, which has led to over 80 searches in the United States and the arrest of more than 50 individuals. The case is also part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse.
Sell’s home and any other property used to commit the alleged crimes are also subject to forfeiture.
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Key Facts
- State: Federal
- Category: Sex Crimes|Cybercrime
- Source: DOJ Press Release ↗
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