| Child porn suspect sent images to undercover agent |
By: JIM HAMMERAND, Staff Writer
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Posted: Wednesday, November 18, 2009 12:04 am
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CORRECTION — A quote in the following article by Betty Armstrong has been modified.
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NORTHFIELD — Federal investigators allege that a Northfield man indicted on child pornography charges e-mailed illegal photos to an agent posing as a fan.
According to a recently unsealed search warrant that lead to the September 2008 arrest of Ernst Luposchainsky III, 55, authorities found graphic photos of prepubescent girls hosted on his Web site.
An immigration and customs agent assigned to investigate child pornography e-mailed him, posing as a fan of the site. Authorities allege in the warrant that Luposchainsky claimed constitutional protection for the images, offered to trade some with the fan and ultimately sent the agent two encrypted files containing child pornography.
They said he also admitted an attraction to girls ages 4 to 10 and to having three external hard drives full of images like those sent to the agent.
Agents searched the man’s home, shared with his elderly parents on the 400 block of West Eighth Street, in July 2008. According to the warrant receipt, they seized a laptop computer, CDs, DVDs, books, video tapes, a camcorder and computer storage drives, but did not make the reason for the search known, and a judge sealed the warrant so as to not jeopardize the investigation.
More than a year later, Luposchainsky was arrested and taken to California, where he is still in federal custody.
Neighbors reacted to the developments — including media reports that Luposchainsky is suspected of covertly photographing area children — with disbelief.
“Yeah, it’s horrible. That he’s in custody is the good news,” said Erin Barnett, who lives in the neighborhood with her husband and their 2-year-old daughter.
She said she and her family still like the neighborhood, which they moved to from Hastings three years ago. But what worries her is that the man could one day return.
“I’ll be following the news to see when he’s released. That’s the responsible thing to do,” she said.
The neighborhood doesn’t have as many children as it used to, said long-time residents like Larry Cummans. The 68-year-old retiree has lived there his entire life, he said, and the raid, arrest and subsequent developments have drawn intense interest locally.
“I’ve never seen anything like that,” he said. “I know there’s a lot of talk.”
Across the street, Betty Armstrong said she and her husband, Lee, considered the allegations an isolated incident.
“I haven’t even been thinking about it,” she said.
Her husband, Lee, said the couple is familiar with the Luposchainskys but not their children.
“It’s too bad, because they (the parents) are nice people,” he said.
The man’s father, Ernst Luposchainsky, answered the door Tuesday afternoon, but declined to discuss the allegations.
“We’re not supposed to talk about it,” he said.
Deputy Police Chief Chuck Walerius said officers canvassed the neighborhood on behalf of federal investigators last year, but are not presently working an active investigation in deference to the indictment. Police would, however, welcome any new leads from neighbors.
“If they do have some information, we’re always open to receiving that information if they’re willing to come forward,” Walerius said.
— Jim Hammerand covers the city. He can be reached at jhammerand@northfieldnews.com or 645-1114.
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View federal documents from the case here:
Indictment, page one
Indictment, page two
Warrant, page one
Warrant, page two |
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