We’re posting the sentencing report filed by federal prosecutors in the child pornography case against former KGO Radio host Bernie Ward, for tonight's I-Team update. A warning – it contains the most graphic descriptions yet of 100 images the FBI found in Ward’s e-mail account -- mostly girls from three to nine years of age; some being bound, gagged and brutally sexually abused. You’ll also see actual copies of the Instant Messaging sessions between Ward and “Sexfairy”. You’ll recall he formed an on-line relationship with the mother from Oakdale and sent her a child porn image; she called the police.


Ward is set for sentencing next Thursday, and prosecutors are asking for nine years. It’s normal procedure in such cases for supporters to write the judge asking for leniency, and for victims, their families and concerned citizens to write asking for the most severe sentence. So, we were curious to read the letters which are usually part of the public file.


Clerks at the federal building told me this week I couldn’t see the case file because the judge on the case, Vaughn R. Walker, had it. I contacted his personal clerk, who then spoke with the judge. She called back to say Judge Walker has received more than a hundred letters for this case – an unusually high number – and that the judge wanted to keep them private because of the sensitive information some of them contain. I couldn’t get any idea what percentage of the letters come from Ward’s supporters, compared to his detractors.

Ward is scheduled to be remanded into custody next Thursday. We’ll be there and report back to you.

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