Crimes against Children 7-10-12

Fresno, CA

A former substitute teacher and coach at Fresno High School pleads guilty to child pornography possession.

Houston, TX

An ex-commercial pilot in Texas has been sentenced to nearly 13 years in prison in a child pornography case involving millions of images.

A federal judge in Houston on Monday sentenced 48-year-old Todd Steven Ewanko of Humble (UHM'-buhl). Ewanko in February pleaded guilty to distribution and possession of child pornography.

Ewanko formerly was a captain with Colgan Air Inc., doing business as Continental Connection.
The pilot has been in custody since July 2010 when investigators searched his home and confiscated several computers. Authorities say the equipment yielded millions of images and videos related to child porn.

Indianapolis, IN

On April 6, 2012, Richard L. Finkbiner, 39, of Brazil, Indiana, was arrested by federal authorities after being charged with the sexual exploitation of two minors by inducing and coercing them into sexually explicit activity online. In serving the search warrant at Finkbiner’s Clay County, Indiana home, the FBI uncovered thousands of sexually explicit images and videos depicting hundreds of possible victims.

After three months of forensic analysis and investigation, U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Hogsett announced today that Finkbiner now faces additional charges related to his alleged “sextortion” scheme. In a formal information filed this morning, federal prosecutors allege that they have located and identified 10 additional male and female minor victims across the country, and Finkbiner now faces a total of 10 counts of sexual exploitation of children, two counts of extortion, and one count of possession of child pornography.

“These charges formalize allegations of a systematic scheme to victimize hundreds of children and teenagers all over the country,” said Hogsett. “Thanks to the tireless work of investigators, over the last three months we have been able to identify and contact many victims of these alleged acts. This process is ongoing, and we continue to do all we can to offer support after the nightmare they are alleged to have endured.”


Albany, NY
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Ryan Grace, 31, of Rutland, Vermont, was sentenced today to 180 months in prison, having pled guilty to one count of traveling across state lines for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor. Chief United States District Judge Christina C. Reiss, sitting in Rutland, also sentenced Grace to lifetime supervised release.

Court records indicate that, in June 2011, Grace traveled from Rutland to Hornell, New York, where he engaged in illicit sexual activity with a 13-year-old boy whom he had met online. A week later, Grace was on his way to Hornell to meet the boy in a hotel for a second sexual encounter but was intercepted by his state probation officer, who had learned of his criminal conduct from an informant.
In 2003, Grace was convicted in Vermont State Court of sexually assaulting of an 11-year-old boy. At the same time, he was convicted in a related federal court case of possession of child pornography. He served concurrent sentences of 30 months’ imprisonment for those offenses and was still on state probation when he traveled to New York for the sexual encounter with the 13-year-old boy.