Aug 23 (Reuters) - A former Allen & Overy partner has been
indicted on charges that he collected and distributed hundreds
of images of child pornography.
Edward De Sear, 65, who worked in the firm's capital markets
group, faces three counts of advertising child pornography, four
counts of distributing child pornography and one count of
possessing child pornography.
He was arrested Thursday morning. During an appearnce before
U.S. Magistrate Judge Madeline Arleon in Newark, New Jersey, De
Sear consented to being incarcerated until next Tuesday, when a
hearing will be held in the case, a spokeswoman for the Newark
U.S. Attorney's office said. He did not enter a plea, she said.
Emails and calls to De Sear's attorneys were not returned.
According to the 21-page indictment, which was unsealed
Thursday morning, De Sear used peer-to-peer file-sharing
programs to download and distribute images depicting young boys
and girls being restrained and sexually abused. Some of the
images featured toddlers and infants, according to the
indictment.
The Newark U.S. Attorney's office claims that De Sear in
2010 used Allen & Overy's wireless Internet network to view the
images. During one of the sessions, according to the indictment,
De Sear distributed multiple child pornography files to an
undercover law enforcement agent.
He faces a maximum of 180 years in prison and up to $2
million in fines.
De Sear was arrested last year on one count of distribution
of child pornography. He was released on a $250,000 bond and
never entered a plea. He was rearrested Thursday on the
additional charges.
Prior to joining Allen & Overy in 2010, De Sear worked as a
partner at several other large law firms, including Bingham
McCutchen, McKee Nelson and Milbank Tweed. A spokesman for Allen
& Overy did not return a request for comment.
From 1968 to 1970, De Sear served as a personnel records
specialist in the U.S. Army. He graduated from Columbia
University in 1968 and from University of Virginia Law School in
1973.
The case is United States of America v. Edward De Sear,
United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, No.
11-8143.
For the U.S.: Assistant U.S. Attorney Shirley Emehelu.
For De Sear: John Vazquez and Michael Critchley of Critchley
Kinum and Vazquez.
(Reporting by Dan Wiessner)
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