War Hero, Wade Sanders, Pleads Guilty to Trafficking in Child Pornography

Wade Sanders, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy, made the news in 2000 when he had an unsuccessful run for congress and again in 2004 at the Democratic National Convention when he was chosen to introduce Senator John Kerry as the Democratic Presidential Candidate. Sanders is a decorated Vietnam war veteran and a highly respected attorney and author. He has also served on the San Diego Police Department's Senior Oversight Committee.

Recently Wade Sanders found himself on the other side of the law, however, when FBI Agents tracking online pornographers showed up at his door. Officers found several computers and more than 600 images of child pornography, as well as a video of young girls engaged in sexual activity with an adult male. Sanders was caught as a part of an on-going Department of Justice investigation called "Project Safe Childhood".

On May 04, 2009, Wade Sanders was sentenced to 37 months for possession of child pornography. He was fortunate to have many high ranking friends who came to his aid and asked District Court Judge Thomas Whelan to exercise leniency towards this war hero. Federal prosecutors were asking for 63 months in prison. The maximum penalty for his crime would have been as much as ten years in prison.

Sanders pleaded guilty to possession of pornography but also stated that his PTSD causes him to suffer from obsessive-compulsive behavior. He also stated that his photographs of child porn and the video were going to be used in the writing of articles on child pornography. He states that his possession of these materials was purely for intellectual use and not for sexual gratification.

My question is, which is it, Mr. Sanders? Is this a manifestation of obsessive-compulsive disorder or are you doing research for articles on child abuse and pornography trafficking?

We all need our heroes and Mr. Sanders has been just that until recently. With friends such as Senator John Kerry, former U.S. Senator Max Cleland and former congresswoman Lynn Schenk, going to bat for him, did an online pornographer get a reduced sentenced or was this war hero gathering information in order to write about the dark world of pedophilia and pornography? Do people in high places hold enough power to reduce sentences among their peers?

According to information provided by the PROTECT organization, FBI agents triage their investigations, which allows them to zero in on the most offensive pedophiles, those who are engaged in brutal, sadistic acts of torture against the youngest of children, toddlers and infants.

Following the seizure of multiple computers from his home, Wade Sanders pleaded guilty to trafficking in child pornography, resulting in a 37 month jail sentence. Did the punishment fit the crime? You decide.

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wade_Sanders
http://www.protect.org/
http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/may/05/1m5sanders23172-war-hero-gets-37-months-child-porn/