Fuller to face prison time

By Drew Hunt

Former Columbia faculty member Kevin Fuller, who was arrested in November 2009 on child pornography charges, has reached a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s office. On Aug. 24, her pleaded guilty to child pornography charges on two of the three counts against him, which include distributing and possessing images of child pornography. Fuller will face a mandatory five-year prison sentence and could potentially be subject to a maximum sentence of 30 years and a $500,000 fine when his is sentenced on Jan. 11, 2011.

Fuller entered a change of plea to Judge Ruben Castillo. Castillo has permitted Fuller to remain under house arrest and under electronic monitoring until his sentencing. He is currently staying with his father in a downtown condo.

In his plea agreement, Fuller admitted to knowingly transmitting a piece of child pornography—which depicted a prepubescent boy being sexually violated by an adult male—via e-mail. Additionally, he admitted to having possessed more than 300 images of child pornography on

his computer.

According to the transcribed account of his plea, Fuller has been working with a psychotherapist concerning issues related to the charges. Implicit in his agreement was his compliance to continue psychological counseling after sentencing.

Fuller’s initial arrest was on Nov. 19, 2009, after authorities searched his prior home in Oak Park, Ill., 1000 N. Taylor Ave. Authorities recovered his personal computer where hundreds of sexually explicit images involving minors were found.

Prosecutors described some of the photos as sadistic and masochistic. Some photos, according to the transcribed account of the plea agreement, depicted other instances of violence.

Authorities also procured transcripts of numerous e-mails Fuller sent, some containing sexually explicit images

involving minors.

Other e-mails contained Fuller describing a number of depraved sexual acts involving prepubescent minors.

On Nov. 20 of last year, The Chronicle reported Fuller allegedly exchanged more than 40 e-mail conversations with another individual between Sept. 26 and Sept. 29 of 2009, where the two discussed molesting an infant.

Upon his release from prison, Fuller will be registered as a sex offender for the remainder of his life.