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Jed Boal Reporting"Their child modeling constituted child pornography and child exploitation."
Two Utah men face federal charges of peddling child pornography on the Internet. Prosecutors say the men made a lot of money on the Internet with pornographic photos of young girls in suggestive poses and dress. The defendants contend they did nothing wrong and promoted modeling in non-nude images with the help of the girl's parents.
A child pornography showdown could be shaping up in Federal Court in Utah. It will likely come down to whether a jury finds the poses provocative. For now, the website and other related sites are shutting down.
Young models, ages eight to 18, wearing lingerie. The US Attorney's Office calls it child erotica, underage girls posed provocatively.
Prosecutors expect a Grand Jury indictment against Mathew Duhamel and his Internet business partner Charles Granere of Orem. They face charges that they transported, received and possessed child porn.
Richard Lambert, Asst. U.S. Attorney: "Child exploitation took place on the website operated by the defendants, and that their child modeling constituted child pornography and exploitation."
During the last decade, Duhamel worked several broadcasting jobs, including stints as a weather anchor at KUTV and his own production, called road trips. He also worked at the former Star 102.7, a Bonneville Station.
According to court papers, photos on his website showed a child, "Sitting atop a dining room table with one leg propped up on a dining room chair, wearing black stiletto pumps a black lace thong, black bra and a black leather jacket."
Duhamel's lawyer had not seen the photos, but contends it is not pornography.
Richard Mauro, Defendant's Attorney: "Most of these websites have pictures depicting sexual activity, this one does not. They have pictures that depict nudity, this website does not have that."
In court papers, Duhamel says he set up websites for teenagers and females interested in modeling. The site turned quite a profit, 20-dollars each from several thousand subscribers.
The judge ruled Duhamel could go live with his father in Washington under court supervision until his next court date.
John Duhamel, Defendant's Father: "I have not seen anything. I know the attorney believes that there's nothing wrong, that he has not committed a crime, and there's nothing illegal."
The judge told Duhamel to shut down the website within 24 hours.
Granere, who was also employed by Bonneville for a short period of time, will have to wait until tomorrow to see whether he will be released.
This is an ongoing investigation. Several parents in other states have pleaded guilty to their part in the enterprise.
