- A man who collected videos that depicted small crying children being raped was sentenced to six months in jail, along with an 18-month conditional sentence.
- However, when given credit for the six months he already served in prison, Lucas Gannon was released to serve out the rest of his sentence in the community, and he will be staying at a dorm at the Salvation Army.
- In a passionate apology to the court, Gannon, 26, of Springwater Township, said he couldn’t stop himself from viewing child pornography.
- “I need help,” Gannon admitted, after pleading guilty to possession of child pornography as well as fraud and extortion.
- He was also placed on three years of probation where he must seek treatment and stay away from children under 16.
- Court heard about his bizarre extortion scheme where Gannon posed as a buff firefighter and lured an adult woman into falling in love with him over the Internet. He threatened to post her sexy photographs if she didn’t send him more and more explicit sexual photos and videos of herself.
- The woman went to police, who searched his residence, and found dozens of videos and photos of child pornography on his computer as well as in his photo album. He was arrested May 14, 2009.
- The videos contained clips of small, naked children urinating or being raped or forced to perform oral sex.
- “Most disturbing is one clip of a teddy bear sitting on a penis while the child is performing oral sex,” said Justice Nancy Dawson as she described the content.
- “I knew it was wrong, but I couldn’t stop,” said Gannon, standing in the prisoner’s box with handcuffs.
- “Somehow it got to be younger and younger children. I couldn’t stop.”
- Gannon admitted to buying children’s underwear to satisfy his urges, but he insisted he did not take the child pornography any further than viewing it.
- “But I know that by viewing it I was harming that child all over again.”
- Months after Gannon was arrested, he was diagnosed with leukemia while in jail and he now needs intensive treatment.
- “Maybe I deserve this after what I’ve done,” Gannon told the judge. “But what I’m trying to do is learn about it and get help so that it never happens again.”
I believe this man when he says that he is trying to get help for his problem that he couldn't stop. I feel that a conditional sentence and probation are appropriate, because he needs medical help for his leukemia and in the community, he can receive counseling and treatment for his pornography addiction.
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