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UPDATE: Child sex groups horrific practices

August 19, 2008

A federal agent said today that a like-minded group which included San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Deputy Bryan Goossens and 51 others shared “very disturbing and graphic” images of children depicting bestiality and bondage.

Calling the evidence “horrific,” Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jorge Guzman told UncoveredSLO.com that 26 children, aged 2 to 17, have been removed from “dangerous environments” by appropriate family and child services officials.

FBI agents Monday arrested Goossens; postal employee Jeremy Neubauer of Nipomo; and Bryan Arnold of Grover Beach, for their alleged involvement in the group.

Utilizing Internet peer-to-peer software such as LimeWire, the suspects exchanged materials that Guzman found difficult to discuss: “There is no word to describe this,” he said. “Infants with umbilical cords attached being sexually abused or penetrated. You can’t imagine how horrific these are.”

Guzman also said the software may be making the pictures available to other children.

“A lot of kids use these programs to share files,” said Guzman. “It has not been uncommon [for investigators] to go to a residence and find that a child had inadvertently captured these images, then continued to go back.”

Federal officials said those arrested this week also included a teacher and an attorney.

“It is unfortunate that a lot of families have suffered from this,” Guzman added. “This is about protecting children.”

Child pornography convictions carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison, unless one has been previously convicted of a prior child exploitation crime.

The arrests are the result of a coordinated multi-agency task force of local and federal agencies led by ICE and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, “which received extensive assistance from a number of other agencies” including the United States Secret Service and local law enforcement.


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By: Anonymous on 8/28/08

Wyatt Earp: Dude, you are a tool.


Whatever bone you have to pick with Dan is so obvious it's pathetic. Let me guess, he ran circles around you at the same paper and you got canned? Or you got stuck covering wedding announcements and obits? You pull a single story from 6 years ago to prove your point about someone who has, what, 30 years of distinguished service in the media?


Sorry, but some wanna-be hack isn't going to sour his reputation. Take your agenda elsewhere.

By: Anonymous on 8/27/08

The Sheriff has shown he isn't able to enforce all laws. He should start with the most important ones and leave marijuana users alone.


Hedge's approach wastes time, money and manpower that could be better spent elsewhere.


This recent child porn case that hits so close to home with the Sheriff should be a wake up call that he's got his priorities screwed up.

By: Anonymous on 8/27/08

What, are you saying the Sheriff needs to now parent every kid in the county, and help raise the youth when parents fall short? How about parents parent their kids, and adults that shouldn't have kids don't have kids, and CPS step up and do their own jobs. The Sheriff should enforce ALL laws, period.

By: Anonymous on 8/27/08

Well, Karen, you sure know how to kill a lively (though, admittedly frequently lame) discussion.


Replace Sheriff Hedges, unless he modifies his views and decides to spend more of his departments resources on preventing child abuse, rather than busting people for marijuana.

By: Anonymous on 8/23/08

If you would like to post regarding marijuana laws, please post on AG Brown clarifies muddy medical pot law.

By: Anonymous on 8/22/08

HELLO!!!! Why are we on the mary jane thing again? Who is the knucklehead that keeps bringing this article, which is about child porn back to some stupid-a** argument about pot?! Shut the hell up and try to understand that NOBODY concerned about the content of this article gives a crap about your pot issues. This isn't the topic of this article. This is sooooo much more horrendous and disturbing than the medicinal marijuana truly stupid, dumb, argument. Make your ranting about weed on another site. Please grasp the seriousness of this. Get your head out of the clouds (or smoke).

By: Anonymous on 8/21/08

Once again "I need my dope" is more important than a cop who is accused of possesion of child porn…

By: Anonymous on 8/21/08

Apparently the word is that Goossens purchased 6 porn videos from the web site. The website only sold child pornography. Don't know if he used a credit card. The feds traced the Goose through his e-mail to the website.

By: Anonymous on 8/21/08

These people are nothing but Evil, Sicko's and should never ever be let out of jail. I see one local guy Richard D Willrodt who was the CFO to Now defunct Hertel Group was arrested for evil acts on a child as well.

By: Anonymous on 8/21/08

FREE LYNCH & Lock up the perv's for 80 years.


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By: Anonymous on 8/21/08

isn't "old hippy liberal" being redundant? in three ways?

By: Anonymous on 8/21/08

Some people seem to take the opportunity on ANY post to pull this medicinal marijuana issue. This is not about that AT ALL. This is about supposed human beings (monsters) and their sadistic thirst for truly offensive, reprehensible, damaging obsessions. I DON'T care if Hedges was on top of this or not. These people are sneaky and believe that what they do is within their rights. When do we finally say enough is enough?! When is it time to place the blame on the offender and stop trying to lay blame on upbringing, enviroment, lack of supervision, etc.?!!! When is it truly the fault of the offender???

By: Anonymous on 8/21/08

It's mentioned that there were infants being abused. One does have to wonder how "infants"(plural) could be removed from the mother. Perhaps a caregiver was involved but these were newborns and mothers don't leave newborns. Maybe it was happening in a hospital?

By: Anonymous on 8/21/08

I agree with you.

By: Anonymous on 8/21/08

This makes me want to vomit. Hang the perverts now.

By: Anonymous on 8/21/08

While I do not agree with the way medical marijuana is distributed, etc. I have to agree that the bails and lengths of sentences is way off.

By: Anonymous on 8/21/08

why does medicinal MJ have to be smoked? have they not reduced the benefits to pill form?

By: Anonymous on 8/21/08

FREE LYNCH

RECALL HEDGES

HANG THE PERVERTS

By: Anonymous on 8/21/08

I was thinking this morning of the reality that these people were looking at these depictions of little children and going back for more and more. I wondered what kind of a mind could possibly find enjoyment or pleasure in this. It was scary when I finished contemplating. It really hit home what these predators are about. We should have zero tolerance for things like this. Our society and legal system is a mess. We the people have to STOP putting up with it.

By: Anonymous on 8/21/08

This Gossens dude is a real piece of work.How can anyone defend this sleezebag?He makes me puke.

By: Anonymous on 8/21/08

Isn't it twisted that Lynch could get up to 80 years and the molesters only get 10..

Does that kinda put anything in perspective?

By: Anonymous on 8/21/08

So child porn defendants get out out on $5000 bail and lynch gets a $400,000 bail? Also Medical Marijuana defendants have their children taken immediately by CPS I think the same should happen here. Up the bail to 500k and get his children away from him before he molests them…Whats good for the Gander is good for the Goosens…

By: Anonymous on 8/20/08

OOppps You all know I meant to say that Hedges came out as the ass. Damn thats some good wine.


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By: Anonymous on 8/20/08

He managed to get Lynch convicted in Federal Court but the publicity backfired on him. Lynch came out in the press and TV as the "good guy" and Lynch came out as the "ass". He will never get re-elected. His little stunt cost him his job.

By: Anonymous on 8/20/08

If it is true that infants with umbilical cords were mistreated, I think we have to ask ourselves why didn't the mothers of these babies do anything? I mean, they couldn't have been very far away as this was going on.


wikipedia says average length only 60 cm.

By: Anonymous on 8/20/08

Your last post just literally made me laugh out loud. I understand your anger but really , you have to be a bit more realist. A lot of us are angry with Hedges, your not alone.

By: Anonymous on 8/20/08

All I know is that it is highly likely that out of the 53 perpetrators approximately 45 are also child molesters/pedophiles. Whether former deputy Goossens is in that 45 is yet to be seen. I hope the mothers of his children get the kids into counseling, regardless of the what if? question. When things like this happen it can be a snowball effect. Considering his standing in the community he could have gotten away with a lot of things with little kids. Just absolutely heartbreaking for the victims of this reprehensible crime. Since he has no criminal history, sadly he probably will not serve the maximum 10 years.

By: Anonymous on 8/20/08

toke big…cough, Think you might be on the wrong thread dude…

You want to make child porn legal?

By: Anonymous on 8/20/08

Will you potheads get over it and fight to change the LAW. Your brains are so clouded with THC you can't figure out how to make your smoke legal.

By: Anonymous on 8/20/08

well, with that kind of logic, we (taxpayers) are also culpable in that we finance Hedges and his pervs. I mean, where does the buck stop?

By: Anonymous on 8/20/08

Sheriff Pat Hedges should be held accountable in this case and should be charged as a co conspirator of the child porn ring. This is what they did to Charles Lynch. Since an employee of Lynch's was caught selling out on the streets without Lynch's consent Lynch was held criminally liable for his employees actions. I think the same should be held in this case, since Goosens worked for Sheriff Pat Hedges, Hedges should be held criminally liable as a conspirator of the child porn ring.

By: Anonymous on 8/20/08

Good post except the statistical shot across the bow of education. Comparing the two occupations is like comparing apples and oranges. Contact hours and nature of business alone would account for a higher probability of more victims.


Personal belief is that perpetrators of these and all other crimes cross all lines to include occupation, ethnicity, nationality etc. We all have one common flaw, we draw our talent from the human race. And therein lies the problem…

By: Anonymous on 8/20/08

I also do not think this should reflect badly on law enforcement. People from all walks of life commit these types of crimes. And I do agree if they made an arrest the evidence is solid.

By: Anonymous on 8/20/08

Nice post..well thought out


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By: Anonymous on 8/20/08

Here is some clarification on questions asked.


Goossens resigned from the Sheriff's Office. He is no longer employed as a deputy sheriff.


His pension is secure and he is eligible to draw it at age 50, unless he cashes it out, in which case he must pay income tax on the full amount.


His pension is his and does not belong to the county. He cannot be stripped of it, even if he were fired, or convicted of a crime.

This is because the San Luis Obispo County Pension Trust is a private entity and the county contributes to employee pensions, on behalf of the employee, as part of the salary and benefit package negotiated for by the employee's bargaining unit.


I don't know if Goossens is guilty of these charges, but I have some experience dealing with Federal agents and US Attorneys and I can tell you they don't pull people's names out of a phone book and go after them.

The US Attorneys are by and large individuals who are looking to use their office as a stepping stone to a six figure income at a prestigious private law firm.

They do not want to screw that up by taking on a dog of a case and losing in court.


If the US Attorney presented this case before a Federal Grand Jury, got indictments and then arrest warrants I would submit to you that all of the "t's" have been crossed and the "i's" dotted on this case.


Does Goossens have a defense? I don't know. I guess we will have to wait and see what happens.


I feel sorry for his family who will have to deal with this. Especially his children who will have to face their friends as school resumes this month.


And I feel sorry for the men and women at the Sheriff's Office who have to try to rebuild any loss in public confidence over this case.


One thing to keep in mind before you condemn law enforcement is to remember that far more children are abused by school teachers than police officers. A 2002 study by the US Department of Education found that 422,000 public school students nationwide would be victims of molestation by a school official before graduation from high school.

Yet when we hear about school teachers abusing a child we don't condemn the entire profession. I would ask you to extend the same standard to law enforcement in regards to this incident.

By: Anonymous on 8/20/08

I am very curious about what Goose has to say about this? Its hard to believe he did this. What does he say the circumstances are/were? I'm sure Polo knows.

By: Anonymous on 8/20/08

I don't feel sorry for Goossens or anyone who enjoys watching children being tortured. I feel sorry for the children who will never recover from this and are currently under the care of family and child services.

By: Anonymous on 8/20/08

Goose is 47, unless he had a birthday I didn't know about. His pension is going immediately into his defense. That's why he resigned.

By: Anonymous on 8/20/08

The news is leading with the fact that a deputy sheriff was involved with the child porn ring. They have been giving his name and city on every news brief I've seen or read. They mention the deputy sheriff more than the school teacher!

Public Servants really do have to conduct themselves with the up most integrity. His name is a smear campaign in the press right now. I feel sorry for his family. He will never recover from this.

By: Anonymous on 8/20/08

Apparently he resigned however I am curious about where he will stand with a retirement pension? He was on the force (in one form or another) for 20 years. I think he's in his early 50's and it's going to be very difficult for him to pick up the pieces of his life after this. He will probably have to register as a sex offender although he didn't touch and only looked ( a lot). I wonder what will happen with his lively hood. I guess if he serviced for 20 years he will get a partial pension?

By: Anonymous on 8/20/08

Goose resigned a couple weeks ago.

By: Anonymous on 8/20/08

KSBY reported last night that Goossens had retired from the Sheriff's Department. Someone needs to check this. Retired and not fired? How could that be???


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By: Anonymous on 8/20/08

There is no excuse for any of this behavior. Child molesters or people who view child porn run the whole range of people. Some may just have a preference and some may really be wired differently. the end result is the same. I'm no expert in this area but I worked with these creeps for a long time and held groups etc. No one knows why they are different or what part of the brain is out of whack but they are getting closer to nailing it down. Like depression and other mental illnesses with neurotransmitter problems etc. I'm just an R.N. but there are people who post here who know a lot more than I do about this stuff. Some of these guys have had normal lives in other areas and then have this area where they screw up. In group it is like with alcoholics. Lots of excuses for why they are the way they are. Some are even sincere when they say they won't do it again. But they almost always do. It depends on the level of perp though. Some can just look at pictures as bad as that is. Not all molesters are equal. But there are some very twisted people doing things you would not believe. No meds will fix it and all the therapy in the world won't help. Most people enjoy sex and even need it. These guys need it with little kids. Sick stuff.

By: Anonymous on 8/20/08

I was just getting ready to say the same thing when I saw his post get deleted. That guy just hates everyone who lives north of the grade.

By: Anonymous on 8/20/08

ONE WOULD THINK THAT THE NIMROD BELOW ME WOULD HAVE BEEN IP BANNED BY NOW

By: Anonymous on 8/20/08

You mentioned separating what they do with who they are. Do you mean that they aren't the same people when they are doing these things? Can they really be good people in all other aspects of their life apart from the sexual deviance? And do they just block out that knowledge of themselves until they have an urge? Does anyone know what makes a person have such a "screwed up" sexual appetite? As adults there are plenty of variations that people engage in and I guess if two adults consent then it's OK and probably normal no matter how weird. Its the thing about children that is just so so over the top and incomprehensible.

By: Anonymous on 8/20/08

There are psychopaths, sociopaths, child molesters and a lot of others whose brains just work differently than most people. Some think it's a mental illness and some think it's a preference. Who knows? But for most of them they can separate what they do with who they are. There are much worse out there that you don't want to know about. Sure glad most are gone from ASH.

By: Anonymous on 8/20/08

I just can't understand how anybody could be "wired" like that? Especially when they have children!How could they not cry and think of their own children when they saw things like that?

Bondage, Bestiality, Infants!!

I'm having a hard time believing that it's true.

By: Anonymous on 8/20/08

He had to be going to that site on a regular basis to be charged. If he was trying to investigate it then the thing to do was to report it to those who could do something about it. This group was engaged in this activity on a regular basis.

By: Anonymous on 8/20/08

This man is anything but a good father. No good parent could ever bear the thought of seeing this happen to a child, to any child. It's instinct to relate to your own children when ever you see any child harmed, or even the suggestion of it. Nobody knows who Mr. Goossens really is. Unless "his side" is that he saw the pic's and was trying to discern if they were real but, I think not.

By: Anonymous on 8/20/08

I agree that the people who knew this was happening to little children (any child)and did nothing are guilty. Those who took pleasure in viewing the assaults are as guilty as the assailants.

By: Anonymous on 8/20/08

Some of the people in this group were actually producing the videos and then sharing them. Anyone who intentionally accessed these pictures was encouraging child abuse and sexual molestation of the innocent. It's beyond my comprehension to understand how someone could know this was happening and not attempt to put a stop to it. To engage in the voyeurism is to be as guilty as those that actually perpetrated the crimes.


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