Sentenced: Man convicted of 52 counts of child pornography charges "believed he was assisting law enforcement in locating offenders"

[Sugar Cookie]

A Radcliff man convicted of 52 counts of child pornography charges involving minors had strong words at his sentencing hearing Tuesday.

Stephen Christopher Heinrich, 61, was sentenced to a total of 14 years in prison for multiple charges involving the distribution and possession of child pornography.

In a statement made Tuesday during his sentencing hearing in Hardin Circuit Court, Heinrich said he understood the need to protect the public from “this kind of charge,” adding he believed he was assisting law enforcement in locating offenders.

“I really was in a delusion when I thought that I could do some kind of help in trying to identify some of these people,” Heinrich said. “I was very confused about why we can’t identify them then I found out that the FBI was distributing this stuff.”

Heinrich said he believed child abuse was a very big problem not being addressed.

Erin Hartman, who filled in for Heinrich’s defense attorney Ty Howorth, elaborated on Heinrich’s claims by discussing the conversations she’d had with him about his case.

“It is my understanding that he believed he was helping law enforcement target these videos,” Hartman said.

“Nobody ever came back and asked me if I found out anything that might be able to help them,” Heinrich added. “While I’m here in this system, I’m doing what I’ve always done in my community by serving God.”

Heinrich concluded by saying he had certain gifts that allowed him to move through mountains, figuratively, and that right here was where he needed to be.

Heinrich was arrested Nov. 7, 2022, after officers with the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office executed a search warrant at his residence.

Detectives traced an IP address associated with the BitTorrent network, a file-sharing system sometimes used for child abuse material such as child pornography to Heinrich’s residence, according to his arrest citation.

After detectives entered the residence, they discovered an unlocked personal computer with multiple open tabs displaying child pornography and one tab specifically showing “several underage females naked with their genitalia displayed,” police said.

The computer was in the front room of the residence and was surrounded by medication bottles and several pieces of paperwork with Heinrich’s name on them, police reported.

During the hearing, Ashlock read off Heinrich’s 20-year service as a U.S. military veteran in the Gulf War, Desert Sheld and Desert Storm before his retirement as a staff sergeant.

Before sentencing Heinrich, Ashlock said he believed the sentence to be reasonable based on the defendant’s service to the country and lack of previous offenses.

Heinrich said he understood why Ashlock upheld the agreed upon sentence in spite of his insistence that he was trying to help stop child abuse.

“I agree that it is reasonable for me to serve this time,” Heinrich said. “You can’t just trust my word.”

Radcliff man sentenced in child porn case condemns child abuse at hearing

A Radcliff man convicted of 52 counts of child pornography charges involving minors had strong words at his sentencing hearing Tuesday.

www.thenewsenterprise.com

 

[Metalfan]

Easy to picture this dude in a icecream truck.

 

[cubby]

He's sure not taking responsibility for what he did, claiming the FBI wanted his help in catching pedos, yeah, right, uh huh, I believe that, NOT!

 

[Turd Fergusen]

So, I should probably quit buying all this coke to "take down the cartels"?