Man Caught With Child Porn By Computer Repair Service
There is a warrant out for the arrest of 64-year-old, retired business man, Robert Zuelsdorf. The Poinciana, Florida resident sent in his PC to Information Technology and Data Solutions -- a computer repair service in Kissimmee -- to be serviced. When the technician was trying to transfer files from Zuelsdorf's PC, he spotted what appeared to be child pornography and called the police.
Law enforcement officers raided the computer and found 160 images of girls ranging in ages from 1-12 years-old performing explicitly sexual acts. Each image carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, meaning that Zuelsforf will most certainly be spending the remainder of his years behind bars, when and if they find the guy.
Though we in no way condone child porn or the people who have it on their computers, we are -- as with a similar incident involving the Geek Squad and a resident of the Twin Cities -- concerned and curious about the warrantless search and seizure performed. We'd expect some semblance of privacy when having our PCs serviced.
Though it's a good thing that illegal contents were found on Zuelsdorf's computer, the methods used to find those contents should still have been the result of legally obtained search warrants. It's still up to law enforcement officials to go through all the necessary, legal procedures when going after baddies.
From the Orlando Sentinel
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Larry Lubell @ Mar 17th 2008 4:59PM
We live in a new world where the ends justify the means.
No one wants to let a Child Pornographer go, but we are loosing the freedoms that we all took for granted.
gayle @ Mar 17th 2008 6:33PM
I'm glad they found out what the guy had on his computers. How many kids get molested because of sicko's looking at this.Bunch of weird's. I sure there are alot more out there. Reading this.
wolf1 @ Mar 17th 2008 7:19PM
the trick here is to find the source, were are this films made? if they come from europe,our police has to contact interpool,they will contact every countries law inforcement agency,if you don't cut off the head,the body will live on to produce more of these sick flicks,[pictures].
fred ward @ Mar 17th 2008 7:34PM
What are you reading Gayle?
Someone @ Mar 17th 2008 7:35PM
When you turn a computer in for service there is a disclaimer on the service ticket. I think it's great that this guy was just not smart enough to read the service ticket. If the person is proven guilty without a doubt they shouldn't even be able to get off on a technicality.
rh @ Mar 17th 2008 7:46PM
Technically, a warrant may not be necessary, as the repairperson acted as a witness to a crime and alerted the police.
Bill (Virginia Beach, VA) @ Mar 17th 2008 8:22PM
Looking at BOTH sides to this issue there's SEVERE constitutional rights that were violated.
(1). It is NOT illegal to have Child Pornography and therefore the Janitor IS protected by 1st Amendment Rights under Free Speech/Free Press.
(2). Although I do NOT condone anyone possessing Child Porn "having" the pictures on his computer does NOT make him a criminal. Sick? Absolutley! BUT...he's ONLY GUILTY IF he "acts out" on any girls...he's within his right to HAVE the pictures.
(3). The PC Tech. has no police authority to enforce such actions. The Computer Store can be sued for invasion of privacy and violations of 1st amendment rights under freedom of press AND damages causing false arrest.
(4). Sorry Law Enforcement...you lose on this one also.
(5). Unless the Customer signed a Waiver clearly stating he could be prosecuted if there was any CHILD PORN on his computer THEN he would be legally charged with the crime of possession of these photos. The PC Tech's job was to transfer the files....not "inspect" or "play police officer".
SW @ Mar 17th 2008 8:32PM
If you're not breaking the law you don't have to worry about your freedom being taken.
sean eric @ Mar 17th 2008 8:54PM
It goes without saying that people who look at child porn are total scumbags, but if you are stupid enough to store that sh*t on your computer and then bring it to a repair shop, then you deserve to go to prison just for being a retard.
Ol' Joe @ Mar 17th 2008 8:56PM
One has to wonder of the Technician.
Did this tech and the customer have previous dealings with one another. Was the tech pissed off at the customer.
Did the tech actually accidentally come across the porn or did he maybe help it get there?
Lots of questions to ask.
On the other hand, customer could simply be a pervert. There are, after all, millions of them in the USA from pervs who live in the gutter world all the way up to top national leaders, corporate leaders, Church leaders ect...
In fact, IMO, there are more perverts in the USA than there are normal people or is it the case that some perversion is now considered normal? They say stretching a sphincter for intimate reasons is normal.
Have we redefined what normal is?
The real question is, is sphincter stretching a sport?
Matraca @ Mar 17th 2008 9:46PM
SW says:
("If you're not breaking the law you don't have to worry about your freedom being taken.")
Really...? Drive through Dawsonville Ga. and office T. pulls you over for no reason, then see what happens to you....he will search your car and your own person...of course he will ask you first for 'permission'.....
mintt1 @ Mar 17th 2008 9:55PM
Bill, It is ILLEGEL in the USA! I suggest you do your research as it is not an excuse that you didn't know!
soma @ Mar 17th 2008 10:48PM
I hope when they find this bottom feeder they hang him up by his private parts and turn big hungary Pit Bulls loose in the room with him..... He deserves NO MERCY.
Mike @ Mar 17th 2008 11:18PM
Hypothetical situation - Computer repairman does not like this guy for this reason or that. Spins disc with pictures and puts them on clients PC - then calls cops. Since the computer was not in the guys possesion, how can anyone be sure it wasn't tampered with?
kideeluv101 @ Mar 17th 2008 11:49PM
Mr.Dave?
John @ Mar 18th 2008 12:12AM
To SW who says "If you're not breaking the law you don't have to worry about your freedom being taken.." HOW IGNORANT ARE YOU??? Have you NEVER read history and seen how many INNOCENT people have had their freedom taken? If you are STUPID enough to believe that, you're probably a right wingnut Republican and, by definition, born without a brain. Ask Holocaust survivors if they were breaking the law. Ask the Japanese-Americans who the U.S. shipped to internment camps if they were breaking the law. Ask one of the thousands of innocent people that the Innocence Project has freed by DNA evidence (and who prosecutors often wanted to keep EVEN after they'd been proven innocent) if THEY were breaking the law. And the Law is not always a good law. It is this sort of infantile thinking that has a Chimp in the White House using the Constitution for toilet paper. As to the child porn and the other idiot that said possessing it was not illegal. ARE YOU REALLY THAT IGNORANT??? OF COURSE it is illegal and well it should be. As for the tech not having police authority OF COURSE he did the right thing. He MUST look at the data on the machine to do many things for PC repair. Under the law, anyone observing the physical or sexual abuse of children is REQUIRED BY LAW to report it. If the tech hadn't, he would have been guilty as an "accessory after the fact" if this guy was ever busted. And, excuse me while I vomit, but WHAT kind of sick, warped puppy looks at ANYTHING to do with 1 year old babies and sexual activity? This guy needs to spend the rest of his natural life in prison. Whether he molests children or not is immaterial. By purchasing this stuff or exchanging it he is materially contributing to the severe abuse of children. The prevalence of ignorance on these blogs amazes and disgusts me. It simply goes to show that you need not have a brain to use a computer or be online...or comment in a blog.
lightninjack0 @ Mar 18th 2008 12:54AM
imagine sitting on the jury, deciding this mans fate. could you be totally sure that the computer repairman didnt tamper with the computer? and if he is in the one percent of people who are innocent when he seems totally guilty, then he spends most of the rest of his natural life in jail and has to register as a preditory sexual offender wherever he goes, so even when and if he gets out he is finished as a normal human being and his time in the can would be a nightmare being the lowest member of the prison community. however if he is guilty and gets let out because there is the possibility that the repair tech may have tampered with his computer, and acts out his fantasy's on a minor, what a nightmare. its a tough one and i dont know what i would do, do you?
MIKO @ Mar 18th 2008 1:05AM
COPS AND REPAIRMAN JUMPED THE GUN,VERY PROFESSIONAL PEOPLE LIKE THAT SHOULD WORK AT THE LANDFILLS.ALMOST ALL OF THEM RODE THE SHORT BUS.I'M A FARMER FROM NC AND CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT.HE.HE.HE..........................
gary @ Mar 18th 2008 1:18AM
John, you moron, the poster meant that FOR THE MOST PART if you obey the law in todays society you will be alright. Only a wingnut like you would take that to be a claim that no innocent person in the history of the entire universe has been in jail. It is posters like you that bring intellectual discourse down with all your name calling and bold type crassness.
As for the controversy, they of course need to report anything like this they see. Perhaps to avoid the possibility that porn could be loaded onto an innocent persons computer all work on the computers could be monitored by either supervisors or electronically.
Alaine @ Mar 18th 2008 1:35AM
Bill,
Since when is it not illegal to have child pornography???? If it is NOT then it definitely SHOULD be!!! Maybe you're a pedophile yourself.? Sicko!!! He deserves what he gets! I doubt some random computer repair guy has it out for this guy and decides to download child porn...gimme a break! You are grasping. The guy deserves what he gets...f..cking pig!!!