GUILTY CA - Kevin Wright & 4 others for child *advertiser censored*, Santa Monica, 2009

It has gotten to a point where there is such a tsunami of child *advertiser censored* arrests that I simply cannot start a thread on each and every one. How tragic that I've had to raise the bar and be more discerning about who I highlight. I'm looking for those in the helping professions and those linked through circuits to other traders as I believe that these men and women do the most harm to children and families. That said, these guys fit the bill:

http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?s...geles&id=8218181&rss=rss-kabc-article-8218181

Santa Monica man busted in national child-*advertiser censored* ring

"A Santa Monica man is headed to prison for his role in an Internet-based child-*advertiser censored* ring, a group exploiting kids by stealing their photos and trading them...."

and


"...44-year-old Kevin Wright of Santa Monica was sentenced to seven years in prison. The judge took steps to conceal images of him. Child-*advertiser censored* defendants are often attacked in prison. Wright pleaded guilty to being part of a select group of child-*advertiser censored* traders on an Internet billboard site called Quest4More. "They're collectors. And like a collector of anything, collectibles, it's no fun to collect if you can't share it with someone else..."

and

"...When one member got busted, an agent assumed his online identity, leading investigators to four other users. "Polls were taken of the members: 'Would you kidnap a child?'; 'Would you sexually exploit a child who's in your bed?'," said Robert Abrams, ICE Child Exploitation Investigations Group. "Very, very graphic activity was described and elaborated upon....."

and

"....The task force executed search warrants in Los Angeles County arresting scores of people, including a principal, a teacher, a doctor, a lawyer, a scout master, all leading to convictions...."

more at link


I wonder if we'll ever be able to connect the dots?

More info on the Quest4More group. How tragic that those three words are in the same sentence--toddler..sex..torture.

http://streetlightphx.com/news/ques...images-7-years-prison-for-rings-final-member/

Quest4More toddler sex torture images: 7 years prison for ring’s final member

"....Quest4More members posted hundreds of photographs and video of children under 5, sometimes even toddlers, depicting explicit sexual abuse, rape and torture acts. The group “advocated the sexual torture of children”, according to court documents. The message board hosted a separate section reserved for images depicting violent rapes of children under two...."

and

"...The Quest4More child sex torture ring is broken up, but thousands [thousands!!??] of tiny children have been victimized in the production of this *advertiser censored*. This group is only one of possibly hundreds like it around the world, preying on children and whetting the demand for younger and younger victims...."

more at link


And here are the names of the others who were convicted:

http://www.cybercrime.gov/wrightSent.pdf

"The defendants previously sentenced in this case are:

Michael Pharis, 51, of Las Vegas, Nevada, who was sentenced in December to 15 years in prison

Daniel Murphy, 53, of Millville, New Jersey, who was sentenced in March to 151 months in prison

Paul Challender, 54 of Big Rapids, Michigan, who was sentenced in March to 151 months in prison

William Ho, 39, of Hacienda Heights, California, who was sentenced in March to 135 months in prison"

more at link


Let me see if I can determine the men's professions. I don't recall seeing any of these names before.

And overview of the case and a rare view of "connecting the dots":

http://www.fbi.gov/losangeles/press-releases/2010/la080310-1.htm

"U.S. v. Challender, et al., CR 09-1004-MMM

This case marked only the fourth time in history that a group of defendants were charged with being part of a child exploitation enterprise as a result of engaging in a pattern of offenses involving the sexual exploitation of children. The defendants—Paul Challender, of Big Rapids, Michigan; William Ho, of Hacienda Heights, California; Kevin Wright, of Santa Monica, California; Daniel Murphy, of Millville, New Jersey; and Michael Pharis, Las Vegas, Nevada—belonged to a members-only Internet message board called Quest4More where child predators posted pictures and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of children under the age of five and shared stories and experiences about sexually torturing young children. One part of the message board was reserved for images depicting violent rapes of children under the age of two. The five defendants all pleaded guilty in June and each face up to 20 years in prison when they are sentenced in December."

more at link

Let's just go down the list:

Michael Eugene Pharis (LOTS of aka's), 51, of Las Vegas, NV

http://pipl.com/cache/?N=10.12.117.70&S=2011071516062051400000018393363212781&P=23532.htm

Convicted in 1981 of three counts of child molestation in Georgia. Convicted again in 1998 of child sex charges in MO. Here's a run down on the bust in MO. Pharis traveled to MO from GA with the intent of raping and photographing a young girl in 1998. He only got 57 months which held up at appeal. Can't blame the US Attorney's office. They tried:

http://openjurist.org/176/f3d/434/united-states-v-pharis

Here we go, proof again that child *advertiser censored* does indeed often connect with actual child rape:

http://www.uri.edu/artsci/wms/hughes/ppncpt5.htm

"....Georgia Michael Eugene Pharis, 38, father of five children and coach of Little League teams for boys and girls, was apprehended by police after driving hundreds of miles to meet "Wendy," a 13-year-old girl he had contacted through the Internet...."

And:

http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/1998/03/09/tec_223822.shtml

Man arrested after being lured to area via the Internet
March 9, 1998

"....Pharis, who used the computer name "Calboy," is the father of five children in Georgia. He told police his life centered on coaching Little League teams for boys and girls. He has served 18 months in prison for child molestation and is separated from his wife, who operated a day-care business from their home...."




So, Pharis is a coach. Looks like his son and father have the same name and are on FB. I'm concerned that this guy might be also. I believe he's also lived in Louisiana as he was registered there in Alexandria.

I also found this disturbing little tidbit. Might be another Michael Pharis but this gives me pause:

http://boards.ancestry.com/surnames.pharis/82.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1/mb.ashx

"....i know my dad BP lived in laurel maryland at one time and was married to a woman named MC (not sure how its spelled)..they had children named Michael Pharis, BP, and a daughter Hope that drowned at age 8....."

Next, we have Daniel Murphy, 53, of Millville, NJ. Looks like Murphy never posted any child *advertiser censored* but he still got 151 months. He merely commented about the images. Interesting that he'd be extradited to CA and that they'd say that the other members were all Californians in the first article below. That's not what's being reported today. His posts were filled with spelling and grammatical errors. He's probably not the doctor or lawyer. I can't seem to determine what he did for employment.

http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/breaking/article_b8d2b85a-0fa3-11df-9d89-001cc4c002e0.html
February 1, 2010

"A Millville man is in custody in a Los Angeles federal detention center facing trial on allegations that he was a willful participant in an online child *advertiser censored* ring.
Daniel Philip Murphy, allegedly known by his online handle as "Yukon_jock," was arrested and charged in October with conspiracy to advertise for, transport, receive, distribute, solicit and possess child *advertiser censored*...."

and

"...According to New Jersey State Police, the 51-year-old Jenny Drive resident attempted suicide in a wooded area a day after the U.S. District Court in California issued a warrant for his arrest. Murphy was treated for his failed attempt, arrested and subsequently extradited to California..."

and

"...A grand jury indictment lists Murphy and four other defendants as belonging to a members-only internet message and child *advertiser censored* trading board known as Quest4More. The other defendants are California residents...."

and

"...The message board contained various forums dedicated to child *advertiser censored*, from softcore to hardcore and even a category for infant children...."

and

"....A warrant for arrest was issued for Murphy on Sept. 30, 2009. The following day, Murphy was found, his wrists slit and his throat cut as the result of an apparent suicide attempt, off of Matt's Landing Road in the Heislerville Wildlife Management Area in southern Cumberland County, according to N.J. State Police...."

more at link



But, he's a father:

"....after volunteering to take a polygraph test given by FBI agents, Murphy failed several questions relating to physical contact with minors. “The polygraph examination revealed that defendant Murphy was not telling the truth in response to questions concerning whether he had ever had physical contact with a minor for sexual gratification, and, when informed of this fact, defendant Murphy admitted that he was not truthful during the examination when he stated that he never had physical contact with a minor for sexual gratification,” the report continues.

“Defendant Murphy proceeded to provide a handwritten statement in which he admitted to a sexual attraction to children under the age of 16, admitted to touching young girls for the purpose of becoming sexually stimulated, and admitted to frequent instances when he masturbated while fantasizing about young girls in his neighborhood, including his young daughter’s friends.....”

and

"....Murphy’s four co-defendants are residents of California, Nevada and Michigan...." [a correction, I suppose]

more at link

Paul Leon Challender. Challender ran for House Representative in Michigan in 2004 on the Democratic ticket. Looks like he didn't win but stayed involved with the party. He also was involved with the local Autoworkers Union, serving as VP in 2009. Not much out there on him. I have a feeling that a younger man, Richard Paul Challender from the same area who is a RSO might be a relative as they share several relatives.

I'm starting to think that the Quest4More arrests might be different than the "scores arrested" who included several professionals.

William Ho of Hacienda Heights, CA is coming up as President of Blue Ray Logistics. Home address is listed as a home valued at $600,000.

http://www.corporationwiki.com/California/Hacienda-Heights/blue-ray-logistics-inc/45397227.aspx

Note: This one might not be correct as William Ho is an extremely common name is CA.

As for Kevin Kaller Wright, I can't find him. He might be an audio specialist but I can't be certain. The article says that the judge went to great lengths to conceal his identity to protect Wright in prison. Well, it seems to be working. There are 62 men with that first and second name listed in Santa Monica. It would be prudent, however, for the public to know just where this man lived and what he did for employment. If I lived in Santa Monica, I'd want to know.

So, all that digging and I still didn't find the professionals. Darn it. I'd like their names out there. I have a feeling that the names are kept mighty protected until the case comes to closure. I'll keep looking.