News Release
U.S. Department of Justice
United States Attorney
District of Rhode Island
May 28 , 2009
Defendant pleads guilty to Distribution of Child Pornography
Brian Murphy, 39, formerly of Providence, Rhode Island, pleaded guilty today to Distribution and Possession of Child Pornography. Murphy admitted that from May 2006 to April 2007, he collected and traded child pornography with other individuals.
United States Attorney Robert Clark Corrente announced the guilty plea, which Murphy entered today before Judge William E. Smith in U.S. District Court, Providence.
At the plea hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Terrence P. Donnelly said that the investigation of Murphy stemmed from an investigation of a child pornography collector in Switzerland. Swiss authorities discovered that the individual they were investigating was trading child pornography images with several individuals located in the United States, and referred the investigation of those individuals to agents of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The individuals under investigation were using Google Hello, a free program then offered by Google which facilitated the simultaneous sharing of internet chat and images. One of those individuals was Murphy, who used the Google screen name "BiDaddy69." Further investigation by the Providence Police, in conjunction with Rhode Island State Police Computer Crimes Unit and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), led police to obtain a search warrant for the defendant’s Providence residence. On April 6, 2007, Detectives executed that search warrant, seizing two computers and numerous CDs. Forensic analysts from the ICAC thereafter found thousands of child pornography images and videos on Murphy’s computers and CDs. The images found depicted very young children engaged in explicit sexual activity with adults. Many of the images were of a sadistic nature, including images of adults engaging in sex with infants, and children being sexually abused while in bondage.
Pending sentencing, the defendant was released on home confinement bail with electronic monitoring. He is scheduled to be sentenced on September 4, 2009. On the charges, Murphy faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years (with a maximum of 20 years), and a maximum $250,000 fine.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Providence Police, and the Rhode Island State Police conducted the investigation.
Contact: 401-709-5000 USARI.Media@usdoj.gov