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IF THE A.G. HAD A HAMMER
MARK SHURTLEFF WOULD USE IT TO HAMMER CHILD PORN
Wielding a large sledgehammer, Attorney General Mark Shurtleff will take the first swing at 20 computers that have been hopelessly infected with child pornography. He will be joined by members of the Utah Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and state legislators who are all eager to demolish computers taken from people convicted of possessing of distributing illegal images of children.
“The judge ordered the computers to be destroyed but he didn’t say how,” says Attorney General Mark Shurtleff. “The obliterated computers are a visual reminder of the lives devastated by child pornography.”
The computers have to be destroyed because technicians cannot guarantee that all of the child pornography has been removed and the task force did not want to risk “leaking” pictures of children being abused.
The computer-smashing event will also be used to recognize three Utahns who are being honored for protecting children. The U.S. Department of Justice recognized a seasoned investigator who started Utah’s first Child Abduction Response Team (CART); an investigator with a knack for identifying child pornography perpetrators and victims; and a fifth grade artist who designed a poster about missing children.
Lieutenant Jessica Farnsworth from the Utah Attorney General’s Office received the AMBER Alert Law Enforcement Award at the 2008 National Missing Children’s Day ceremony held in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday. Farnsworth was recognized for bringing dozens of federal, state and local investigators and support personnel to create the statewide CART in 2007.
“CART brings together all of the investigators and resources needed to recover a missing or abducted child,” says Farnsworth. “It’s a great deterrent for anyone thinking of taking a child because they won’t get away with it.”
Utah Department of Public Safety Agent Steve Gamvroulas also received an honorable mention for taking small clues seen in child pornography to identify and locate victims and perpetrators while working with the Utah ICAC Task Force.
Eleven-year-old Douyon Park from Quail Hollow Elementary in Sandy submitted the winning poster for the 2008 National Missing Children’s Day Poster Contest. 
“I wanted people know that kids are missing and that it would be great if they could help find them,” says Douyon Park.
The Utah AMBER Alert Advisory Committee nearly rejected Park’s poster because the drawing appeared to be too professional for someone so young. The poster was eventually selected as the best of all of the drawings submitted by fifth graders all over the country.
“ We are all very proud and excited for Doyoun and want to congratulate her for creating such a great poster for this important childhood issue,” says Marilyn Williams, principal of Quail Hollow Elementary School.
Utah native Elizabeth Smart was also honored at the ceremony for her participation in a new book released Wednesday from the Department of Justice. “You’re Not Alone-The Journey From Abduction to Empowerment,” includes Elizabeth’s story of survival after being abducted in 2002. Her father, Ed Smart, also spoke at the ceremony and he challenged Congress to fund programs that help missing and exploited children.
The Department of Justice honored Utah with the AMBER Alert Coordinator of the Year award at last year’s National Missing Children’s Day Ceremony. Utah continues to find new ways to improve the AMBER Alert and the Endangered Person Advisory, an alert for missing or abduction cases that do not meet the AMBER Alert criteria.
“These honors reflect Utah’s commitment to do everything possible to bring missing and abducted children home safely,” says Shurtleff.
Pictures of the award winners, award winning poster and the computer demolition will be available at http://attorneygeneral.utah.gov/899.html.
Who: Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff, Lt. Jessica Farnsworth, Agent Steve Gamvroulas, Douyon Park members of the Utah Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Utah State Legislators, award winners and other invited quests
What: The Attorney General, members of the ICAC Task Force and state legislators will use sledgehammers to destroy approximately 20 computers that have been used for possessing or distributing child pornography. Two investigators and a Utah student will also be honored for their efforts to protect children.
When: 2:00 p.m., Today, Friday, May 23, 2008
Where: ICAC Task Force Headquarters, 5272 South College Drive, Murray
Lt. Jessica Farnsworth receives the AMBER Alert Law Enforcement Award from Office of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention Administrator J. Robert Flores and U.S. Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey
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