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Feds add charges in child porn case
By Blake Spurney Editor
A Rabun Gap man who previously faced child pornography charges in Rabun County Superior Court was transferred to federal custody last week.
Charles Richard Van Brackle, 48, was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges that he distributed, received and possessed images of child pornography.
At his detention hearing Friday in U.S. District Court in Rome, Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Steinberg told the federal magistrate that Van Brackle allegedly has been part of investigations in Dallas, Philadelphia and Florida," said Patrick Crosby, spokesman with the U.S. Attorney's office.
"In the Dallas and Philadelphia investigations, FBI forensics showed that computers in those areas ... showed images directed to the defendant's computer," Crosby said.
Van Brackle was arrested Jan. 31 after Georgia Bureau of Investigation and FBI agents executed a search warrant at his residence on Little River Lane.
Steinberg also told the magistrate that forensics experts found more than 3,000 images of child pornography and child erotica on Van Brackle's computer. Van Brackle also has admitted to authorities that he "has a problem," Crosby said, citing the exchange between Steinberg and the magistrate.
Van Brackle surfaced as a suspect after investigators in Broward County, Fla., arrested a man who made arrangements to meet an 11-year-old girl for sex, according to court records. An undercover operative had claimed to have an 11-year-old daughter. The suspect had received six images of child pornography from Van Brackle.
Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney Brian Rickman said federal sentencing guidelines carried a mandatory 10-year sentence upon a child pornography conviction. Federal prosecutors often get involved because such cases typically involve interstate commerce.
"I was extremely comfortable with the case against him, and the evidence was substantial," Rickman said.
Charles Richard Van Brackle, 48, was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges that he distributed, received and possessed images of child pornography.
At his detention hearing Friday in U.S. District Court in Rome, Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Steinberg told the federal magistrate that Van Brackle allegedly has been part of investigations in Dallas, Philadelphia and Florida," said Patrick Crosby, spokesman with the U.S. Attorney's office.
"In the Dallas and Philadelphia investigations, FBI forensics showed that computers in those areas ... showed images directed to the defendant's computer," Crosby said.
Van Brackle was arrested Jan. 31 after Georgia Bureau of Investigation and FBI agents executed a search warrant at his residence on Little River Lane.
Steinberg also told the magistrate that forensics experts found more than 3,000 images of child pornography and child erotica on Van Brackle's computer. Van Brackle also has admitted to authorities that he "has a problem," Crosby said, citing the exchange between Steinberg and the magistrate.
Van Brackle surfaced as a suspect after investigators in Broward County, Fla., arrested a man who made arrangements to meet an 11-year-old girl for sex, according to court records. An undercover operative had claimed to have an 11-year-old daughter. The suspect had received six images of child pornography from Van Brackle.
Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney Brian Rickman said federal sentencing guidelines carried a mandatory 10-year sentence upon a child pornography conviction. Federal prosecutors often get involved because such cases typically involve interstate commerce.
"I was extremely comfortable with the case against him, and the evidence was substantial," Rickman said.
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