Yet another disturbing case of child abuse and pornography has come to light in our region. A 79-year-old man pleaded guilty Wednesday in a Cincinnati court for taking sexually explicit photos of a toddler.
Thomas Winkelbach used a digital camera to take sexually explicit pictures of a toddler touching his penis. He also took images of himself masturbating in front of the baby, who was between one and two years old. The crime happened between 2014 and 2015.
Investigators say Winkelbach searched for, downloaded, and traded child pornography online for years. When law enforcement seized his digital media in October of last year, they found thousands of images of child porn.
He could spend up to the next 30 years in prison. Winkelbach agreed to pay restitution to the victim’s family. He also agreed to forfeit ten cameras, three cell phones, eight computers, and all the storage devices he used to store his disgusting collection.
Unfortunately, this is just one of several recent child pornography cases in our area.
Frank E. Andrews
Frank E. Andrews, 39, of South Webster is charged with 26 counts related to child porn on July 2.
Scioto County Sheriff Marty Donini said his office received a call on June 28 from the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The task force had information about a possible child pornography case.
When Captain John Murphy met with out-of-town law enforcement officials, he learned that more than 100 images of suspected child pornography were uploaded onto a device belonging to the suspect. Detectives served a search warrant at a Jackson Street home in South Webster. Officers confiscated computers and cell phones at the scene.
Kids Trafficked For Pills
Larry Dean Porter of Wheelersburg was charged last week in connection with a sex trafficking ring parents traded sex with little boys and girls in exchange for pills.
Porter is charged with 13 counts including:
- Conspiring to sex traffic children (15 years up to life in prison)
- Attempting to sex traffic children (15 years up to life)
- Producing child pornography (15 to 30 years)
- Possessing child pornography (up to 10 years)
- Conspiring to obstruct a child sex trafficking investigation (up to 25 years)
- Conspiring to witness tamper (up to 20 years)
Eight other adults are charged in the federal indictment, including Porter’s daughters, friends, and parents who sold their children’s bodies to him in exchange for pills.