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Former Century Correctional Sergeant Pleads Guilty To Federal Child Porn Charges
July 28, 2009
A former Century Correctional Institution sergeant has pleaded guilty to federal child pornography charges.
Paul Edward Black, 42, of Century, entered the guilty plea in federal court. He now faces a term of up to ten years in prison, a $250,000 fine and a lifetime of supervised release when he appears for sentencing before U.S. District Judge Casey Rogers in October.
In February, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Department began an Internet undercover operation to identify persons using the Gnutellla peer to peer file sharing network to share child pornography. An IP, or computer address, came up repeatedly in Escambia County as possessing known images of child pornography. Subpoenas revealed that this IP address was Black’s residence, according to court documents. The ESCO executed a search warrant at his residence on March 20, 2009.
Deputies seized a laptop computer, desktop computer and 56 CD’s from his residence while he was at work at the Century Correctional facility. When sheriff’s deputies later interviewed Black at CCI, he admitted to searching the Internet for child pornography, according to federal court documents, and admitted to specific search terms that he used such as “teen”, “lolita”, “PTHC” and “Bambina”.
“A forensic review of his electronic media located images and videos of child pornography on his laptop and desktop,” federal court documents signed by Black state. “A review of the compact disks (CD’s) revealed the same.”
Black’s plea agreement does not specify what his sentence might be. Prior to his plea, he was scheduled for trial on August 3.
Black had been employed as a sergeant at the Century Correctional Institution until his arrest and subsequent termination. Florida Department of Corrections Spokesperson Gretl Plessinger said Black had been employed at CCI since March 22, 1991. He was arrested about noon on June 17 while at work.
This investigation initiated by the Computer Crime Unit of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office was supported by the Pensacola Police Department, the United States Marshals Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and other members of the North Florida Child Pornography Task Force. The case was being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg.
Comments
31 Responses to “Former Century Correctional Sergeant Pleads Guilty To Federal Child Porn Charges”
so that is so sad….and to close to home. the thing is, has he hurt his own children?
Be Nice. No comments that slander another, no racism, no sexism, no personal attacks. YEA THIS IS ONE OF THE RULEZ BUT LOOK WAT THEY R DOING TO MY FATHER
AND ANOTHER THING DONT FEEL SORRY FOR HIS FEMILY CUZ WE ARE STANDING BEHIND HIM 100% AND WE DONT CARE WAT ANY OF U TWO-FACED BACKSTABBERS THINK OK THANK U
LOOK YALL ALL NEED TO SHUT THE HECK UP.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MY DAD IS NOT A BAD FATHER U PPL WHO ARE JUDGING HM HAVE U LOOKED TO SEE WAT IS ON UR HUSBAND OR B/FS COMPUTERS PROLLI NOT AND UNTIL U DO AND UNTIL U PROVE THEY ARE NOT DOING SOME OF THE SEM THINGS THEN SHUT UP!!!!!!!! MY DAD HAS RECENTLY GOTTEN SAVED AL SO U NEED TO SHUT UP HE GOES TO CHURCH AND DONT MISS A DAY SO YALL ALL NEED TO SHUT UP BOUT MY DAD!!!!!!!! GOD DONT JUDGE SO Y SHOULD U…. AND SOME OF U PPL THATS WRITING THINGS ON HERE ARE PROLLI SOME OF THE PPL THATS BEING NICE TO HIS PACE… YALL ARE ALL NUTHING BUT TWO-FACED PPL IN CENTURY WELL SOME R NOT BUT THE BIGGEST PORTION OF U ARE!!! SO YALL NEED TO SHUT UP
Amanda, I am not defending Paul. I am standing by him, even if he goes to prison. I have known Pauls mother since we were young teenagers. I have known Paul all his life. I never knew him to be in any trouble before all this happened. I am hurt and disappointed by what he has did, but I could never hate him. I pray that this will change him.. I have prayed for so long ( not just since this happened) to love other people and not to run my mouth. I am not throwing this at no one but myself. Yes, we all have freedom of speech, and I have no problem with your rights to that. We can all come on here and cut each other down and say mean ugly things about each other, but what good is it going to do except make each other angry. The judge will sentence Paul, and hopefully everyone will move on to a new subject.
These people are easy to get out of your neighbor hoods if everyone sticks together. you just post their flyers from the FDLE website in your yards so when the criminal comes home they see it and who comes to visit yes they get mad and call the police but its in your yard and once convicted the picture on the website can be posted you can check yourself, might want to call FDLE to make sure (like we did) if a officer gives you a hard time explain its your property and its staying on it and if the criminal comes on your property you will be very scared for your life. that sounds harsh but it works ours moved within a month.
For those of you that want to call people crap stiring or ignorant and don’t have a problem letting your children around him are the ones that have a serious problem!!!! If you would take a chance letting him around your child then you are just as sick as him!!!!Because he did not download over fifty files on accident and has admitted to doing this as sylvia has pointed out several times there is no excuse for ignorance like yours!!!!Bad marriage has nothing to do with the sickness in this mans head!!!!Scott and sylvia you have nothing better to do than defend this sick man!!!!
I don’t think anyone will look at correctional officers and judge them all based on this idiot’s actions. I am very upset with the Century ball park’s reaction to this issue because he was paraded around like a saint even to other ball parks in the area. As the parent of two young girls I find this very unacceptable. He is a sick man that was getting his thrills being around our children. We all must stand up and protect our children. They are precious gifts from God.
Century,
I want to re-emphasize what you said about correctional officers. Most all of these officers are good, hard working individuals that are very professional at what they do. Now, I will disagree on one statement you made. I quote “He has admitted to the charges, and while his crimes were victimless .” What about all of those innocent children who were taken advantage of, so that people like Mr. Black could download and distribute that mess? If it were not for those children then yes it would be a victimless crime, but the fact is, There are VICTIMS and they are the worst kind, CHILDREN.
So much for not being guilty and we as parents of ball players have nothing to worry about.
its over and done with so shut up about him getting the punishment or not
I worked with Paul Black for 10 years at the prison. I was not privy to his personal activities outside of the Institution while we were co-workers. Like me, he was a supervisor, and was responsible for disciplining inmates who violated the Department’s rules and regulations. He has admitted to the charges, and while his crimes were victimless, it is very disappointing to me that he violated the public’s trust as a public servant. Correctional officers are tasked by the State to professionally and objectively care and supervise convicted murderers, child molesters, and rapists everyday who would slit your throat in a second if it meant an opportunity to successfully escape. It is a dangerous and highly stressful job that is often looked down upon by other law enforcement agencies. Considering the volume of recordings that Mr. Black retained, it is clear that he willfully and deliberately violated the Federal interstate laws. He should and will be punished accordingly and will forever be branded as a sexual offender. I implore any reader of this forum to restrain from blanket judging all correctional officers based on Mr. Black’s failings. The large majority of correctional officers are honest and hardworking professionals dedicated to the fair and objective treatment of inmates and committed to maintaining the safety of the public.
56 cd’s and you people say he made a mistake? What a crock. Go defend someone who deserves it.
Don’t come on here and say that us “ignorant” people don’t matter. WE DO MATTER. All you high and mighty people who think you have got a name in the community, and think you are better than us “common” folks, are just mad because ya’ll got your “dirty laundry” aired to the community.
This man should get what’s coming to him. HE ADMITTED GUILT to the charges.
he ruined his on life lost his job nd lost some friends he had for years would i stick by him now no i want do i care no i dont would i trust him with my kids no i dont
The article says he searche for PTHC. Google says PTHC means “preteen hardcore”. Preteen would be less than 13.
So what were the ages of the “kids” he was looking at? I want to know if these were little kids, like 3 or 4, or if these were older kids, like 16 or 17.
BTW, those terms don’t necessarily mean children to me, young, yes, but “Lolita” could just as easily apply to a girl in her twenties.
“YOU PEOPLE DONT MATTER”. These people live in the same comunity as him. I think what they say duz mater and should be heard.Dont be made at other people becouse you were rong about somthing,and we all have the freedom of speach. TTFN
Some people are into this stuff. Do you really think He is not going to do it again? And he found the lord Im sure he did when he got scared that he would go to prison with some of the men he treated so wrong. others dont feel like he would harm their child. That is so sick he said he did it duh he likes it maybe thats why he liked being around kids so he could watch them. Yes the lord will judge him but that time is not here thats why I will Protect my children and other children from evil like this and if in the end Im wrong than I am wrong. But I have a voice until then and I will use it. People who do any harm to children are nothing thats why they have to prey on children. Its just crazy that this person will probably get less time than someone who only hurts themselves. Children are being hurt to make this stuff so he can look at it. My mom always said to me Birds of a feather flock together.
Can we please let the judge do his job now and leave this alone. And for those of you arguing on here and calling each other ignorant and such, remember one thing:
Never argue with an IDIOT, your audience might not be able to tell who’s who…
Wow didn’t look at what he was downloding? Come on Mr Godwin. He did it he sayd he did it and if you would not care if he was around your kids well that might not be the best thing to say.But i do agree let it go he was cought now he will do his time. Let that be the end of it.
If this came from downloading files without looking at the content, WHY DOWNLOAD THEM IN THE FIRST PLACE. There must have been something on there that he wanted to see. It’s amazing how nieve some people are. I could see if he mistakenly opened a bad file, but once he scene what it was he should have reported it. That would have been the legal thing, especially for a law enforcement officer to do, but aparently he liked what he saw, because he continued to download it and save it to two computers and extra disk. How ignorant can you be. Face the facts, he did it, he said he did it. He knew what he was doing. So don’t be so nieve to think he wouldn’t have treated your kids the same way.
Good for you standing by your friend….. wonder if anyone is supporting the anonymous children who were threatened, abused and had their lives devastated by someone Mr. Black supported by downloading their files? If he never touched a child – Thank God!!!! But don’t call him innocent… he admitted to looking for child porn, downloading child porn = supporting childhood sexual abuse.
Hope he gets a Bible to read in prison… and that he has plenty of years to study it.
Come on Mr. Godwin he knew good and well what he was downloading . Only a fool would download something without loking at it first ! Or does that fall under ” JUST PLAIN OUT IGNORANT ” ?
While I know that he is glad that he had those that stood by him. He has admitted to what he was charged with. Let the law deal with him. I have seen him in the last few weeks and he looked pretty bad. hope fully he can pick up the pieces and rebuild his life.
Mr. Godwin,
While I understand what you are saying and hope this many truly has found God and is willing to change, did you read the story? It says he ADMITTED to SEARCHING for the child porn AND the SPECIFIC TERMS he used to do so. Also, child porn does not get on disks by accidentally running into it on the internet. It has to be physically copied onto disks by someone who knows how to use a C.D. burner. It didn’t just jump on them on its own. I do feel bad for the family and that this man has ruined his career, but he PLEADED GUILTY. That means he ADMITS that he did what he is charged with. I am sure that he appreciates having a good friend sticking by him right now and I am in no way bashing you for that, but the rest of society will appreciate him paying for his crimes.
He was downloading from a specific peer to peer network specifically for child porn, and you say he did not know what he was downloading? That’s like going to hotdog stand and being surprised you got a hotdog…
I tell you what most this came from Paul downloading files or whatever whithout looking at the content,he just made a mistake that is all.I have two girls and I do not worry about Paul being around them one bit.Yea, he coached at Tee Ball and not one of you crap stirring people can say he would of been a threat to any of the children.Now to you very disappointed get a life he never said he did not download anything he just did not check contents or delete any of them.I will say he was wrong for doing this but died and made any of you busy body “GOD JUGE OF ALL THAT IS HUMAN”.One day you will have kids and I phope they never do anything wrong but you very well might find yourself in that defending role.I amde mistakes and I am sure half of you hyprocritical wannabees have to.As far as you Mr. or Mrs. I hope he gets everything that is coming to him ,ignorants breeds stupidity,enough said.I love Century Florida this is my home but I cannot stand a bunch of gossiping people that have nothing better to do than to talk about someone just because they have a worthless marriage,bad home life,or they are just plain out “IGNORANT”. Well the good Lord will carry Paul through this and does not matter what any of you say because face it YOU JUST DONT MATTER.To clse some of you say ‘Yea he found the Lord when he got in trouble,thats convenient.Well answer this do you usually find the lord when your doing good or when you are in trouble.Usually when you hit bottom you always look up.Paul did and found the Lord his answer.Paul no matter what is said on here I got your back and dont worry about the rest.
Interesting.
I hope that Judge Rogers gives him everything that is coming to him. It takes one sick person to do this ! And to think that he was on a tee-ball field coaching 5-8 year old children when all along he knew what he was doing at home !
He never denied he did that! Find your self something better to do than running your mouth. My mom always said the more you stir crap, the more it stinks., and this has stunk enough!
I guess you just don every really know someone. Remember how everybody was defending Paul in this story http://www.northescambia.com/?p=8932
We all thought he could not have done this. Now he says he did. Boy were we wrong.