Convictions Continue for International Child Porn Ring

SAN DIEGO — A former San Diego child counselor involved in an international child pornography ring was convicted Wednesday of child molestation and pornography, with special allegations that include bondage and sodomy.

A San Diego Superior Court jury deliberated for two days before convicting Paul Whitmore, 47, of 51 felony counts including committing lewd acts upon a child, aggravated sexual assault of a child and posing a minor for pictures and videos involving sexual conduct, which he distributed on the Internet.

Whitmore is currently awaiting his sentencing hearing scheduled for Feb. 3 and could be sent to prison for life. The former child counselor faces two years to 25 years in prison per conviction.

The case was originally brought to the attention of investigators when a group of parents were charged with sexually molesting and photographing their own children and swapping the pictures over the Internet in 2002. Since that time, “Operation Hamlet” has led to the arrest of 24 men in the U.S. and 10 convictions overseas. About six people with outstanding warrants in the case are believed to be living outside the U.S.

Prosecutors said Whitmore was one of the most active members of the ring. Investigators found child pornography he made on computers in five states, as well as in Denmark, Switzerland, Germany and Italy.

Investigators found 750,000 child pornography images during their initial bust of the pornography ring in the U.S. and Europe. More than 100 victims were identified including 37 U.S. children ranging in age from 2 years to 14 years, authorities said.

Previously, Whitmore was convicted in April 2004 on federal charges of conspiracy to sexually exploit children and sexually exploiting children. He faces a sentence between 17 years and 40 years in prison in that case.

Additionally, Brooke Lockwood Rowland, 44, a former advertising salesman from Poway who was also involved with the ring, pleaded guilty Oct. 7 to committing a lewd act upon a child and faces 15 years to life in prison.

Prosecutors and Whitmore's lawyer, Gary Roberts, have been under a judge-imposed gag order since October.

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Kyrgyzstan President Signs Measure Outlawing Internet Porn

President Sadyr Japarov of Kyrgyzstan on Tuesday signed into law legislation outlawing online adult content in the country.

NC Legislature Overrides Veto of Extreme Anti-Adult Industry Bill

The North Carolina state legislature on Tuesday voted to override Gov. Josh Stein’s veto of a bill imposing regulations that industry observers have warned could push adult websites and platforms to ban most creators and content.

Report: VPN Downloads Soar in UK Following Age Verification Deadline

Virtual private network apps, which can be used to circumvent geo-specific age verification requirements, are topping Apple App Store downloads in the U.K. in the wake of new Online Safety Act rules, the BBC is reporting.

Strike 3 Holdings Sues Meta for Pirating Vixen Media Group Content to Train AI

Vixen Media Group owner Strike 3 Holdings filed suit in federal court this week, accusing Facebook parent company Meta of copyright infringement and alleging that Meta has extensively pirated VMG content to train its artificial intelligence models.

Friday is Final AV Compliance Deadline in UK

Friday, July 25 marks U.K. media regulator Ofcom’s deadline for user-to-user services such as tube, cam and fan sites to implement its requisite “highly effective age assurance” measures for preventing minors from viewing adult content.

Two Texas Bills Restricting Sex Toy Sales Fail to Pass

Two bills aimed at restricting sales of sex toys have failed to pass the Texas state legislature during its 2025 session.

NYC Adult Stores Petition for Rehearing in Zoning Law Case

A group of adult businesses on Tuesday petitioned the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit to rehear a case involving a zoning law that could severely limit adult stores’ operations in New York City.

Ofcom Releases Transparency Reporting Guidelines

Ofcom, the U.K. media regulator, has made public its official guidance detailing how online service providers — including adult sites — will be required to publish annual transparency reports on their efforts to protect children from online harms.

New AV Rules Take Effect for Ireland-Based Sites

Ireland’s Online Safety Code came into force Monday, including a provision requiring adult sites headquartered in Ireland to implement age assurance measures beyond self-declaration.

Texas Resumes AV Lawsuit Against Aylo Following SCOTUS Decision

A district court judge in Texas has unfrozen the state’s $1.6 million lawsuit against Aylo for allegedly failing to comply with age verification requirements, Bloomberg Law is reporting.

Show More