Troubling new evidence in bernie ward case

This from ABC Channel 7, KGO

By Dan Noyes

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- The ABC7 I-Team has the inside story of what lead up to the arrest of popular talk-radio host, Bernie Ward, on federal child pornography charges. It's an investigation you'll see Only On 7. We warn you that some of the information is graphic.

Bernie Ward got indicted in December and got fired from his job at KGO Radio, effective at the end of last year. Now, police reports just obtained by the I-Team tell us who blew the whistle on Ward, and how he came to send the woman child porn, by his own admission.

The case against Bernie Ward began with a phone call to the Oakdale Police Department, just outside Modesto.

"We received a report from a local resident of Oakdale that she had gotten an e-mail message and pornographic material involving juveniles," says Chief Marty West with the Oakdale Police Department.

The woman gave police the photographs and a transcript of her online conversation with Bernie Ward.

It's Christmas week, three years ago. Ward's on his home computer using the screen name "Vincentlio." He begins the chat with "Good afternoon, mistress." The woman using the name "Sexfairy" answers, "How was your day, slave?" In explicit detail, Ward describes being humiliated sexually. At one point, he asks, "Are you going to make me feel dirty, mistress?" "Sexfairy" answers, "Yes, I am."

Ward discusses group sex he had at an infamous porn theater in San Mateo. Then, nearly an hour into the conversation, he brings up photographs, "I love trading pictures." "Sexfairy" answers, "and why haven't I gotten any pics, slave? Send me some."

Ward sends several pictures -- one of a woman and two children. Ward describes her as a mother in her late thirties, she's topless. He says the naked boy is 14, that the girl wearing clothes is 12. They're all touching in a sexual way.

"Sexfairy" writes, "brb," (be right back). A half hour later, she's on the phone with police, reporting Bernie Ward for child porn. They tell her to keep chatting with Ward.

"It would be important to the case to gather as much information as possible in support of bringing charges against the person that's sending these pornographic messages," says Chief West.

In the days that follow, "Sexfairy" asks Ward for more pictures -- he complies. Then, police get a search warrant for Ward's AOL account. E-mail sent and received by "Vincentlio" had pictures attached.

An investigator writes, "several of the photographs depicted children engaged in or simulating sexual acts with adults or other children." The ages of the children in the pictures -- four to 17 years old.

"Bernie is an upstanding pillar of the community," says Jeannette Boudreau, Ward's civil attorney.

Ward's criminal defense and civil attorneys declined to be interviewed on camera Wednesday. However, they repeated what they've said from the beginning -- that Ward was doing research for a book.

"Whatever he did was inadvertent, it was something that was a violation maybe of the letter of the law, but certainly the one thing Bernie is not is a child pornographer. He's not a child molester," Boudreau told us in December of 2007.

They also now say Ward was role-playing during the online chats with "Sexfairy" and that all details of his sexual activity were 100-percent false. The former KGO Radio host is facing two counts for distribution of child pornography and one count for receipt of child porn.

With a jury trial set for June, ABC7 legal analyst, Dean Johnson, says the transcript of the Internet chats knocks down Ward's claim that he was researching a book.

"That's very bad news for Bernie because in these messages we not only have an almost systematic knocking down of every defense that could be raised to possession or distribution of child pornography," says Johnson.

Also, from the federal case file, we learned Ward's conditions of release on his $250,000 bond. He surrendered his passport. He's confined to his home with electronic monitoring -- he can leave only for work and to drive his children to and from school. His computer use is limited to his employment and he cannot have unsupervised contact with minors other than his children.

A difficult time for Ward, now, and a grim outlook for his future.

"If these Internet conversations are accurate, if they're truthful, if they correctly reflect what Bernie said, Bernie is potentially in a lot of trouble," says Johnson.

There's so much more in the police report that we can't discuss because it's just too graphic. Federal prosecutors declined to be interviewed for this report. We've been unable so far to contact the woman known as "Sexfairy." I did reach Bernie Ward directly and he says he would like to tell his side of the story, but he has to take his attorneys' advice not to talk.

Comments

[wutitiz]

good point trixie, which is why I say wait for the trial.

The advantage in this case is that there will be plenty of eyes & ears on the trial. That is not a failsafe, however, as we saw in the Libby case.

[KrispyKreme]

Trixie, the parent-child relationship is a lifetime reality. It is immaterial that two out of his four kids are over 18. And I said specifically that I would give him a pass on whether he committed a crime, since all the facts are not out. I could also give him a pass on Playing Insider online for the purpose of writing about the sex trade. Hell, without the business about the photos, who cares if he enters online chat rooms for his own recreation? Except, of course, for the fact that he's a public figure, which additionally makes his children public, by extension. Except, secondly, for the fact that he referenced his very own children in this fantasy conversation. Now the 2 boys in high school can be expected to be exposed to ridicule or at the least, humiliation. You think their classmates are not aware? They know exactly who the father of these boys are. Doesn't matter even if this sex worker was a set-up (entrapment), and it was all a conspiracy. Why in the name of the Almighty would anyone with a pure heart ever, ever consider discussing fantasies about his OWN children online, when he's smart enough to know that nothing online is ever ultimately private. Shame on him.

[KrispyKreme]

whoops, meant who the father of these boys *is,* not "are."
The parent-child boundaries, prohibiting sexual intimacy (including publicly fantasizing about that, even fictionally) are lifetime boundaries, whether the child is 2 or 32.
A few years ago I remember one evening on the air when he talked about regretting something "really, really stupid" that he had done, that he "had screwed up" really badly & wondered out loud if he could ever be forgiven. In retrospect now, I see what he was referring to. Yes, some of us can make horrendously stupid mistakes, but most of us don't bring along our progeny in the process, to share in our ignominy.

[Kip]

Wow, it is the apocalypse. Next we will see Rachel Maddow with hair in her teeth. Is it not be expected of one who does this type of thing in the SF area. Character and moral inadequacies abound on the left without fear of incrimination. It does not surprise me that as we allow our impulses to dictate our conduct that we experience more and more amazement by the "what me worry" crowd. It is ingrained in their minds to just do it if it feels good. Nothing is wrong with anything I do, until I get caught. Then shift the blame to my environment. A more classic study of pedophilia and denial I may never see. And why shouldn't his political opponents revel in the pig slop? It is the pig who created it in the first place. Wallow I say...Wallow and prepare to defend yourself when next the winds of crime blow your way. We will be watching and enjoying every minute of it. Isn't that what pubic persona's are about? Entertainment. I wonder how long it will be after the conviction that Air America welcomes him back....And flogs anyone who challenges their complicity in his crime?

[KrispyKreme]

Since this is a federal case, does anyone know if the courthouse will be closed to spectators? If not, I imagine there will be quite a line for seats for this one. In either case, we can expect quite a media rush on that June date in SF. Again, so sad for his children. Families have been permanently destroyed for crises far less tawdry than this.

[KrispyKreme]

Since this is a federal case, does anyone know if the courthouse will be closed to spectators? If not, I imagine there will be quite a line for seats for this one. In either case, we can expect quite a media rush on that June date in SF. Again, so sad for his children. Families have been permanently destroyed for crises far less tawdry than this.

[JJackson]

Wow...you all sound like a buch of old women gathered over the back fence, spreading gossip about what you "know."

[KrispyKreme]

I know only what was published, nothing else. Would not be interested in attending the trial even if I were paid to do so. Merely commenting on the high visibility of it due to the subject matter & how highly visible he has made HIMSELF. Any high-risk behavior of any sort always carries that corresponding outcome with it, but particularly if one is a public figure. I haven't made statements here about anything except what has been published.

[Sherry Perussina]

There was a report that came out the other day from a well known psychiatrist who has made a a very important diagnosis. The results of his and others studys of human nature throughout history is that to be a "liberal, progressive" or however you care to refer to yourselves you know which ever term makes you "feel good" is a mental illness. I would say that after reading the comments here and experiencing "liberals, progressives" standing and screaming in the streets I whole heartedly agree with that diagnosis. I agree because when one is in their mentally challenged state of mind they can never admit their thought process is wrong what they believe in is wrong their heroe's are flawed. They always look externally at everyone else's "flaws" and because others have flaws it makes theirs and their heroes non existent. It doesn't matter how awful the truth is about a "liberal's or Progressive's" heroe, it is never as bad as some "conservative's or some Priest's" because after all they know better their in with god they said they would be good. "Liberal's, progressive's never said they would be good. They did say however as Bernie Ward did they would be watching all those hated people not in the "liberal, progressive" tribe of anything goes and they would rant and scream and complain and demonize any one who was not perfect until they ruined their families, their lives and their ability to earn a living because after all that is what you get when you said you would be a good person. "Liberal's and progressive's have made it their duty to be judge, jury and executioner and now it has come home once again to roost and what do the "liberal's and progressive's" do? They go external and try to blame it on somebody else. Bernie Ward is a pervert and if you cannot see that maybe you should look in the mirror. He hid behind being the watcher, judge, jury and executioner of others. What is that saying "Live by the sword, Die by the sword". In Bernie's case Live as an accuser, Die as an accused!!!!
shp