A former Johnson County coach pleaded guilty today to one count of producing child pornography.
Michael T. Cowley, a 38-year-old Shawnee man, admitted that he posed as a 19-year-old girl named "Ashley" on Facebook and traded a photo of a naked girl that he found on the Internet to young boys in exchange for nude photos of the boys. Oh, and he tried to convince them to engage "in sexual activities," too.
Prosecutors say Cowley was an employee of the Olathe School District,
teaching a computer class at Brentwood Elementary School in Overland
Park. He also coached boys' baseball and basketball teams and drove a
bus for the California Trail Junior High in Olathe.
Cowley also worked at the Jewish Community Center, directing a summer
sports camp for first through sixth graders (boys and girls).
In February, the Johnson County Sheriff's Office received a tip that a
13-year-old boy in Battle Ground, Washington, had traded nude photos
with a Facebook user who claimed to be a 19-year-old girl named
"Ashley" in Overland Park, Kansas. A total of 11 children reported to police that they received nude photos of "Ashley" -- and seven boys told police that they sent nude photos of themselves to "Ashley."
Prosecutors say "Ashley" had 696 friends on Facebook, and among them
were children from sports teams coached by Cowley. Investigators traced
the account back to Cowley through Internet accounts. A search of Cowley's home turned up nude photos of boys and girls as well as photos of minors engaged in sexual acts.
Cowley's sentencing is scheduled for January 11, 2010. He faces between 15 and 30 years in federal prison.
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People like Pornographiliac are the reason this world has problems like the one mentioned above. I'm ready to bet that you're either a pedophile, a gay, a child abuser, or any combination of these. GO TO HELL.
LGH -- You sure are a hysterical broad. We're just talking about pictures here.
Read Closer -- How do you know that those pictures didn't come from the same teens who sent the other pictures? Haven't you heard of "sexting"?
And again I'll ask, if "19 year-old Ashley" was a real person would she be prosecuted this severely? Also, have these teens been charged with producing child pornography? If not, why not?
For anyone saying this is an overreaction, read more carefully.
"A search of Cowley's home turned up nude photos of boys and girls (***as well as photos of minors engaged in sexual acts./b>***)"
Obtaining pornagraphic material from Non-minors is not the cause for arrest. It's much more likely the other completely illegal child pornography found in his home.
These are children not adults. So "Typical Overreaction" thinks it is all ok. No wonder our world has gone to hell in a hand basket. I pray you have no children...because you would probably sell the pictures.
Typical overreaction. People have been impersonating other genders online for over a decade. It's not that big a deal and CERTAINLY NOT worth jailing someone for 15-30 years. Um, current rate for housing a prisoner is $30K per year, so taxpayers are going to pay between $450,000 and $1,000,000 to punish someone for receiving photos of boys? WTF? What about all of the other people that the boys probably also sent photos to? Jail them to. c'mon...
Pornographiliac So the fact that he is a pedophile is ok...so long as nobody gets hurt? So are you also a pedophile too? This man had lots of contact with children. You obviously don't have children of your own...you are just as sick as he is.
I don't get anyone going to all this trouble to get naked pictures online. There's easier ways, dude.
Gimmie a break! Was there really a crime committed here? Was anyone harmed? The answer to both of those questions is "No" and law enforcement should be ashamed for wasting our tax dollars on this silliness. This guy didn't take these pictures or force anyone to send them to him. He tricked them into sending pics, but was anyone harmed? If "19 year-old Ashley" was a real person would she be prosecuted this severely? I doubt it, so why bother prosecuting this guy?
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