CSAM & Predators - Ten Year Sentence for Phoenix Library Child Pornography Trafficker

On December 22, 2005, the Arizona Internet Crimes Against Children (AZ ICAC) Task Force received the first in a series of seven reports from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children

(NCMEC) regarding child pornography that was being trafficked through Google. Technicians at Google had discovered disturbing images of child pornography on their computer servers and reported the images to NCMEC in accordance with federal law. An unknown offender had posted unlawful images to five different groups within Google. The groups had the following titles:

Pedophilia-Pics Hardcore Preteen photos Preteen-bestiality-and-anything-taboo2 Homemade_vid_pthc, (note: among pedophiles, pthc means pre-teen hardcore)

Researchers at NCMEC conducted a preliminary investigation and learned that the computers facilitating the trafficking belonged to the City of Phoenix and that the offender used the email address,”ugofif@yahoo.com” and the screen name, “Billy Corgan”. Investigators quickly suspected that the screen name Billy Corgan was an alias after learning that the real Billy Corgan is a prominent musician. An Intenet Yahoo profile posted on-line for “ugofif” indicated that his listed interests included:

Preschool Strangers with Candy Kinki Kids PT Cruiser (note: among pedophiles, PT stands for “pre-teen”) Kinder-und Jugendhilfe Babyz All in the Family

AZ ICAC investigators learned that the computers used by “ugofif” were part of the vast Phoenix library system including 13 branch libraries located throughout the 516 square-mile city. Computer experts know that computers connected to the Internet can be identified by an Internet protocol (IP) number, also known as an IP address. An IP address is similar to a telephone number in that the number can be traced through subpoena to a particular location or vicinity. 

Investigators learned that the IP numbers associated with “ugofif” were shared between every public-access computer throughout the entire citywide library network and investigators initially could not identify which single library computer was the one used by “ugofif”. Working in an undercover capacity on the Internet, an investigator contacted “ugofif” and developed information that he was trafficking child pornography for sale. He used a monetary brokerage service that is designed to protect the anonymity of buyers and sellers. Investigators leaned that "ugofif" had used Phoenix public library computers on hundreds of occasions. 

Because the library does not log nor retain basic user information, the investigation would have stalled except for one unusual IP address that appeared in the long listings of hundreds of identical library addresses. The unusual IP address did not match the IP addresses associated with the library. 

Investigators researched the unusual IP address. They found that it was associated with a computer e-mail kiosk at a convenience store in Phoenix. The store was not far from the main downtown public library. The convenience store has a small podium-like stand with a computer attached that permits users to insert money and then log-in and check email. Fortunately for investigators, the store also maintains a video tape recording system that preserves images of customers. 

Investigators retrieved video tapes from the store that depicted a person using the computer at the same date and time that the IP records had indicated “ugofif” had been there. The convenience store video showed images of an unidentified person – probably “ugofif”, but investigators still did not know his true identity. Using the images, investigators then began covert surveillance at the downtown branch of the library, looking for the person in the picture. 

The library has dozens of computers located on three different floors of the building. On December 30, 2005, a person resembling the man depicted on the store video was observed using a library computer at the downtown library. Covert surveillance was conducted for two hours as the man moved about and used seven different library computers. Initial surveillance could not confirm that the person was in fact "ugofif". The library did not require users to provide any proof of identity in order to use the computers and investigators later learned that the computers have software set to eliminate evidence shortly after a patron departs. When the man left the library, investigators followed afoot. 

A few blocks from the library he was detained temporarily under a pretext and he presented identification with the name Taurean Allmon. Allmon said that he was transient and living at the nearby homeless shelter. A search warrant was prepared for the purpose of seizing the seven library computers that had been used by Allmon. The purpose of the seizure was to attempt to determine with certainty whether or not Allmon was “ugofif” – also know as “Billy Corgan”. 

On January 5, 2006, the search warrant was ready. Detectives planned to wait for Allmon to use a computer at the library, detain him, and then seize the computers listed in the warrant. Detectives watched for two days but Allmon did not return to the library. Finally, on January 6, the warrant was served and ten computers were seized. Allmon’s whereabouts were unknown. Undercover on-line investigators continued working the case and learned that Allmon had traveled to California for a temporary laborer job. While in California, Allmon had used various library and motel computers while continuing to traffic child pornography. Investigators learned that Allmon said that he would return to Phoenix sometime in February. 

On February 9, 2006, Allmon was spotted in Phoenix by an alert AZ ICAC investigator who saw him walking on the street near the library. 

AZ ICAC investigators converged, and Allmon was taken into custody without incident as he sat at a library computer. The computer he was using still displayed the Yahoo screen name “ugofif” when he was arrested. Allmon had removable media storage devices in his possession that were seized by detectives. He made admissions to crimes amounting to the possession of child pornography, and possession with intent to sell child pornography. Computer forensic analysis of the computer storage media seized from Allmon revealed numerous disturbing images of child pornography involving children as young as five years old. 

The computer forensic analysis of 17 computers seized from the library proved unproductive because the computers contain special software that quickly eliminates or over-writes evidence that might have helped investigators. After his February 9, 2006, arrest, the 21 year old Allmon remained in custody with a $198,000 bond. Criminal charges were filed through the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. On March 9, 2007, 

Allmon pled guilty to one felony count of sexual exploitation of a minor and one felony count of attempted sexual exploitation of a minor. 

Allmon will serve ten years in prison followed by lifetime probation and registration as a sex offender.