Man Who Raped Own Children, Sentenced to 35 Years for Child Porn
Jim Kouri, CPP
March 15, 2006
A Billerica, Massachusetts man was sentenced Friday to thirty-five years in federal prison for advertising child pornography on the Internet, possession of child pornography and related offenses. He was previously convicted of raping his own children.
Girard Lafortune, age 48, was sentenced by United States Judge Patti B. Saris on federal charges of advertising visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct in interstate commerce; transportation of visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct in interstate commerce; receipt of visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct in interstate commerce; and possession of visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Evidence established that Lafortune traded child pornography on the Internet and possessed a large quantity of child pornography on his computer and on CDs and DVDs that the FBI found hidden in the ceiling of his home.
Lafortune was previously convicted of sexually assaulting his own children. He also has a prior federal conviction for advertising child pornography. The prosecutor requested a stiff sentence from Judge Saris. Lafortune's 35-year prison term doesn't allow parole.
In another case, Burhan Mahmod Hinawi, age 44, of Charlotte, North Carolina was sentenced yesterday by a federal judge to 25 years in prison to be followed by supervised release for life for production of child pornography in Syria which Hinawi transported into the United States.
The child pornography movies produced by Hinawi recorded him engaging in a variety of sexual acts with male and female children between the ages of 12 and 15. Court documents reported that after Customs and Border Protection officers found the videos in Hinawi's luggage at Dulles airport on July 25, 2005, agents discovered that Hinawi had been convicted in Charlotte, North Carolina on three felony counts of indecent liberties with a very young minor and sentenced to six months in jail with work release.
Court papers also documented that additional investigation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement revealed additional child victims in Charlotte, North Carolina and in Syria. Videos taken by Hinawi on prior trips to Syria documented the molestations of victims as young as six years old.
Girard Lafortune, age 48, was sentenced by United States Judge Patti B. Saris on federal charges of advertising visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct in interstate commerce; transportation of visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct in interstate commerce; receipt of visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct in interstate commerce; and possession of visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Evidence established that Lafortune traded child pornography on the Internet and possessed a large quantity of child pornography on his computer and on CDs and DVDs that the FBI found hidden in the ceiling of his home.
Lafortune was previously convicted of sexually assaulting his own children. He also has a prior federal conviction for advertising child pornography. The prosecutor requested a stiff sentence from Judge Saris. Lafortune's 35-year prison term doesn't allow parole.
In another case, Burhan Mahmod Hinawi, age 44, of Charlotte, North Carolina was sentenced yesterday by a federal judge to 25 years in prison to be followed by supervised release for life for production of child pornography in Syria which Hinawi transported into the United States.
The child pornography movies produced by Hinawi recorded him engaging in a variety of sexual acts with male and female children between the ages of 12 and 15. Court documents reported that after Customs and Border Protection officers found the videos in Hinawi's luggage at Dulles airport on July 25, 2005, agents discovered that Hinawi had been convicted in Charlotte, North Carolina on three felony counts of indecent liberties with a very young minor and sentenced to six months in jail with work release.
Court papers also documented that additional investigation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement revealed additional child victims in Charlotte, North Carolina and in Syria. Videos taken by Hinawi on prior trips to Syria documented the molestations of victims as young as six years old.
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