Arkansas - Child porn video collection seized - Suspect held on $100,000 bond
By Brooke Chambers, Russellville Newspapers, Inc, 12/26/06
More than 200 videos featuring child pornography were removed from a Russellville home this week, and the man police said owned the videos was ordered held on $100,000 bond Wednesday. William Everett Phillips, 42, was a suspect in a federal investigation that ultimately involved local authorities in a search of the man's South Knoxville Avenue home where he reportedly lives with his mother. The search of the home, which is across from the Russellville High School, garnered hundreds of VHS and DVD films and several obscene pictures of children as young as 4 years old engaging in sexual activity, according to Russellville Police Officer Steve Barker. Barker, who is responsible for keeping track of the city's sex offenders, said all evidence found in the home Tuesday was turned over to the U.S. postal inspectors who initiated the investigation. Barker said Phillips would likely be facing a federal indictment early next year for allegedly distributing the obscene material. Locally, Phillips is facing charges of possessing the child pornography and is expected to appear in Pope County Circuit Court Jan. 29.
District Judge Don Bourne, who set the man's bond Wednesday at the Pope County Detention Center, ordered him to stay away from anyone under the age of 18 should he bond out. He included the man's current residence as a restriction because of its proximity to the high school. If somebody sees you near a child, or on a street where there's a school, you'd better have a good reason for being there or you'll be put back in jail if you make bond, Bourne told the man during his hearing. The man's mother and sister looked on Wednesday as Barker testified about the alleged materials found in Phillips bedroom, including a detailed description of at least one of the videos.
Barker said some of the videos had hand-written labels on them, and others appeared to be purchased. The officer told the judge, however, he was unaware of any potential victims in the investigation of Phillips. Phillips told Bourne he did not work, but received Social Security for a disability. He said he had no prior felony convictions and was a life-long Pope County resident. On the state level, possessing child pornography is a Class C felony punishable by 3-10 years in prison. The Pope County Sheriff's Office and Arkansas State Police assisted in the local investigation.
The postal inspector who operates out of Houston, Texas was apparently monitoring the suspect's mail when a pornographic video tape featuring minors was sent to the man through the mail, Barker said.
Retrieved December 26, 2006 from http://couriernews.com/