Virginia Beach man gets 17 for child pornography (sexual abuse media)

I found this story yesterday. I did more research into this story because Robert Springstead the pedophile predator worked at the Virginia Beach School. I wanted to see what position he worked at, but couldn't find data/facts to help me to substantiate that. I am posting the original story next so readers will have the history of this sick human being. This is another story of a pedophiles who had thousands of child sexual abuse media (commonly  known as child pornography) on his computer. This predator had images on his computer that were extremely graphic in nature and involved beastiality.

That freaks me out. It is bad enough that children are being sexually abused, but to have to do things with animals to fill the sick depraved need of a pedophile is ludicrous. There was also sadomasochistic images as well. I can only imagine what was going through the minds of these children who were being abused this way. Sadomasochistic behavior is similar to what I survived being ritualistically abused. Things were done to me that are indescribable. As a child I couldn't comprehend what was happening. I couldn't understand why it was happening. I was terrified for my life and was told that I would be harmed if I did tell or that I would die if I did remember. I hope these children get the help they need. They will be headed for a life on a trajectory towards helplessness if not. I pray that they are no longer being abused. Frowning, Rosie

Virginia Beach man gets 17 for child pornography

http://hamptonroads.com/node/627839?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

By Tim McGlone
The Virginian-Pilot
© January 24, 2012

NORFOLK
Federal guidelines recommend a sentence of 4,080 months for a Virginia Beach man who collected and shared child pornography. That’s 340 years in prison.
U.S. District Judge Mark S. Davis didn’t reach that high. On Monday, he sentenced Robert Springstead, 28, to 17 years in federal prison, three years short of the minimum that government prosecutors asked for.
Springstead, who most recently worked at a meat market and had been employed by Virginia Beach schools, was found guilty at trial last year of possessing, receiving and distributing child pornography. He continues to deny that the thousands of photos, movies and cartoons found on his computer were his.
Springstead faced such a lengthy maximum in part because of the high number and extremely graphic nature of the images and that, according to the judge, he perjured himself when he testified at his trial.
“I thought the evidence was really overwhelming,” Davis said.
Springstead was arrested last year after agents with the FBI and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, working undercover, downloaded child pornography images from an online account belonging to Springstead.
When they searched his home computer, they discovered thousands of images, some involving sadistic and masochistic sexual assaults of children as well as bestiality.
Springstead testified at his trial last fall that he had no idea how the images got there, despite acknowledging that no one else knew his computer password or his online account information.
He did admit writing a letter that fantasized about a 6-year-old having sex as well as groping a child at his church.
“He clearly has a sexual interest in children,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Yusi told the judge in asking for a sentence between 20 and 30 years.
Springstead’s attorney, Lawrence H. Woodward Jr., asked for a minimum of five years in prison, telling the judge that “long-term incarceration, as far as I know, hasn’t made anyone a better person.”
In going just below what the government asked, Davis cited Springstead’s lack of a criminal record and his strong family and church ties.
“It is really my hope that you receive the treatment that you need,” Davis told him.
Springstead said nothing at the hearing.