Former Lynchburg resident tied to international child porn operation

A former Lynchburg resident tied to an international child pornography operation pleaded guilty to federal charges here Friday morning.

Matthew Tunnell, 33, pleaded guilty to one count each of possession of child pornography and receiving child pornography stemming from crimes in Lynchburg, and to two counts of possession of child pornography and one count of receiving child pornography stemming from crimes in Alabama.

U.S. Postal Inspector Glenn Aldridge testified that Tunnell’s name was found on a list of customers of a child porn site associated with Justin Berry. At 13, Berry started producing his own pornography. When he turned 18, and after an investigative report by The New York Times, Berry turned over information about his operation to federal investigators. Berry revealed a lucrative international operation.

Aldridge said Tunnell tried to join Berry’s Web site five times, but was only successful on his last try.

In busting Tunnell, Aldridge said she used a fake company offering child pornography videos. In May 2007, he ordered at least one video that depicted children performing sex acts on an adult, Aldridge testified.

In searching his Lynchburg home, she said, investigators found “he had more than 100 images, including images of infants and toddlers.”

During the investigation, Tunnell moved to Alabama. He was arrested there in February, where he told investigators there he had been downloading child porn to his father’s computer, Assistant U.S. Attorney Nancy Healey said.

“He said he simply did not know if he could resist the urge to download child pornography,” Healey told the court Friday.

During her testimony, Aldridge said no evidence has yet been uncovered that Tunnell actually produced any child pornography or that he had had sexual contact with a child.

Charges of receiving child pornography carry a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison. The possession charges each carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

Tunnell is scheduled for sentencing on Jan. 13.