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Child Porn Site Closed Down, Arrests Made; Saddam Hussein Testifies in His Defense; Spring Breakers Cautioned about Daytona Serial Killer; Carlie Brucia's Killer Awaits Sentencing

Aired March 15, 2006 - 13:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

KYRA PHILLIPS, HOST: I'm Kyra Phillips. You're watching LIVE FROM.
If you had to imagine a more revolting, more despicable crime, you probably couldn't. Child molestation, on demand, online. Live streaming video with a global clientele. Today, one such site is offline and more than two dozen alleged purveyors under arrest in the U.S. and three other countries.

CNN justice correspondent Kelli Arena standing by with the details. Not only as a journalist but I bet as a parent, Kelli, this turns your stomach upside down.

KELLI ARENA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, every time I see one of these stories I just get sick, you're absolutely right.

This time, 27 people have been charged in an online child porn sting. Those arrests were made in the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom.

Now all of those individuals allegedly visited a chat room which is called Kiddie Pics and Kiddie Vids. And the site, as you said, Kyra, not only had still pictures but it also showed children being molested live.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement led the undercover operation. Investigators say that what's most disturbing is that the victims are getting younger and feeds of these live molestations are become more common. In one instance, one of the defendants allegedly molested an infant online. And another allegedly molested four children under the age of 12 all at once.

This ring, Kyra, very, very technically sophisticated. They used encryption and other security measures to conceal their identities and their activity. The attorney general will be holding a press conference in a little bit about 1:15. We'll have more details then.

PHILLIPS: Do we know anything about these child victims, Kelli? I know a number of them have been identified.

ARENA: That's right.

PHILLIPS: I mean, do they have parents to go to? Do they have to go into the foster system? What happens? ARENA: We don't know. Obviously, there are privacy issues that you never -- they're only identified as minor No. 1 or minor "a." So they never release details about these children.

In many cases, though, Kyra, in covering stories like this, many of these children have been kidnapped, taken away from their homes. And then are returned to foster care. A lot of them have, you know, situations where their parents are unable to care for them.

PHILLIPS: All right, Kelli Arena, I know we'll be talking a lot more about this throughout the day. Thanks, Kelli.

ARENA: You're welcome.

PHILLIPS: A life or death decision in the murder of a child. Joseph Smith will find out his sentence next hour for abducting, raping and killing an 11-year-old Florida girl in 2004.

A jury recommended -- has recommended, rather, the death penalty. But the judge has the final say.

Smith pleaded for his life at a hearing last month. And I know you remember that security camera footage you're seeing here of Smith grabbing Carla -- Carlie Brucia by the arm and calmly leading her out of that picture. It happened near Sarasota as Carlie was walking home from a friend's house. Her body was found just a few days later.

So do you Google? The Bush administration wants to and it's getting its chance. A federal judge plans to order the powerhouse online search engine to turn over some records to the government, which is trying to show web filters don't protect kids from online porn. The feds want to bring back a shield law that can survive a constitutional challenge.

Now the government scaled back its initial request after Google requested, citing privacy issues. Also, the judge says he doesn't want search engines seen as government tools.

Saddam Hussein on the stand or was it a soap box? Heavy on the grandstanding and light on the legal issues, the former Iraqi testified for the first time in his crimes against humanity trial and proved himself the most hostile witness to date.

Our senior international correspondent, Nic Robertson, was in the courtroom but not for long.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the judge hit his red button, which muted Saddam Hussein's microphone, on at least nine occasions. There were some very angry exchanges going on. And after that, that's when the judge decided that he would exclude the media and carry on without broadcasting what Saddam Hussein was saying.

That media blackout lasted about an hour and 40 minutes. When we were allowed back into the courtroom, it was very interesting. Saddam Hussein's demeanor had changed completely.

At one point when he wanted to interject into the proceedings, he was sitting down and he raised this hand in the courtroom to speak. He didn't try and get up and shout. So his demeanor had changed completely.

But it is not clear what was said during that -- during that hour and 40 minutes. When we came back in, Saddam Hussein's defense team were reading out 16 point, 16 issues that they want the judge to deal with. One of those issues, an issue we've heard many times before from them, that the defense team do not feel that this court is a legal and legitimate court. And that appears to be, still, a central part of their -- a central part of their defense. They were very angry, they said, that Saddam Hussein's defense testimony was not heard publicly today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RAMSEY CLARK, FORMER SADDAM HUSSEIN ATTORNEY: His right to a public trial is being denied. He made a very powerful and effective statement about the context in which the trial was taking place, about his background toward the time of the trial, and then he made a really comprehensive statement about the legality of -- and necessity of what was done.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTSON: Well, earlier in the day, Saddam Hussein's half- brother, Barzan Hasan al-Tikriti, who was the head of intelligence at the time of the Dujail incident in 1982, did give a defense, of sorts.

His defense was essentially, although I was head of the intelligence, the intelligence wasn't involved in this operation. "I did visit," he said, "on a couple of days, but I was not involved. This was handled by security people."

When the prosecution presented him with a number documents that appeared to have his signature on them, he said that they were forgeries and that he hadn't actually signed anything, that he wasn't, in fact, linked to this particular case.

When he was asked about a letter specifying some 600 men or more still in Abu Ghraib jail. More than 200 women, the same letter said were in Abu Ghraib jail some five months later, more than 200 children, also in that jail. Again, he said that this letter was a forgery.

Now one thing did become clear at the end of the case today, the judge saying that the trial will resume on the 5th of April. When it resumes it appears as if a handwriting expert will be brought to the court -- the prosecution has called for this -- to verify that those signatures of Saddam Hussein's half-brother Barzan Hasan al-Tikriti, were, in fact, his signatures.

And if they do prove that, then it appears that they will have direct evidence linking Saddam Hussein's half-brother to the Dujail incident and to the following investigation and killing of 148 people from that town.

Nic Robertson, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Back here in the United States, lots of smoke but little danger from a fire in central Florida. There's a middle school and some homes nearby. But teachers and residents have been told not to worry. The fire is being fueled by dry timber. A lot of it is left from the hurricanes that hit two summers ago. Said to be contained right now.

Fire crews in Texas are still on high alert in case winds whip up again. Firefighters, many of them volunteers, have been battling hundreds of wildfires the past three days. More than 850,000 acres across the panhandle have burned. More than a dozen homes are destroyed.

At least 11 people have died, four of them oil rig workers whose car had broken down, forcing them to try to outrun the flames.

What Texas needs, Hawaii has too much of. We're talking about rain. Incredible scenes from the island of Kauai, where an old earthen dam collapsed after days of downpour. Two homes washed away. Several children are missing. The only highway to the island's north shore is closed. Road crews hope to have one lane open by tomorrow. Hawaii's governor is flying over the damage this hour.

Fire, wind and rain. CNN meteorologist Reynolds Wolf is juggling it all up there in our weather center.

What do you have for us, Reynolds?

(WEATHER REPORT)

PHILLIPS: All right, Reynolds, thanks.

Every spring, students flock to Daytona Beach and every spring, their parents worry. Well, this year, there's new reason to worry. And you're going to hear about it when LIVE FROM returns.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Sun and fun: that's what most people think of when they think of Daytona Beach, Florida, especially college students, especially on their much anticipated spring break. Well, this year, though, the news from Daytona isn't all about spring break. And that has people worried.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS (voice-over): As college students begin arriving in Daytona Beach for spring break, police there are looking for a killer.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My parents warned me about it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What did they tell you?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They just -- "You better be careful."

PHILLIPS: The day after Christmas, 45-year-old Laquetta Gunther was found dead in an ally. In mid-January, 34-year-old Julie Green was found dead in a drainage ditch. Then just last month, the body of 35-year-old Iwana Patton was found in a field. All three were shot to death. Police believe they're victims of a serial killer.

However, investigators are downplaying the threat to spring breakers. The murders occurred in a high-crime area rarely visited by tourists. And police say all three victims were prostitutes.

CAPT. BRIAN SKIPPER, DAYTONA BEACH POLICE: People who need to be careful are the people who are in high-crime areas, late at night, getting into cars with strangers or people that they barely know.

PHILLIPS: An anonymous caller used one of these pay phones to alert police to the most recent slaying. Investigators managed to find that caller this week. But after interviewing him, they say he's not a suspect.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Gregg McCreary is a former FBI profiler and the author of a book "The Unknown Darkness: Profiling the Predators Among Us." He joins me live from Washington.

Gregg, good to see you.

GREGG MCCREARY, AUTHOR, "THE UNKNOWN DARKNESS": Nice to be here. Thank you.

PHILLIPS: Let me ask you about the fact that the cops are downplaying this. Do you think that's a smart idea? We're talking about a lot of young girl. You know, let's face it, a lot of alcohol, a lot of craziness. It's a perfect opportunity for someone like this serial killer to attack.

MCCREARY: Right, well, I think the keyword is just vigilant. And just to be vigilant about what they're doing, use good sense as much as they can while they're drinking, I guess.

But it seems to be that this particular offender, though, is targeting high-risk victims. And that is, it seems to be prostitutes, seems to be geographically located a little bit away. So that's not to say there is no risk, but the risk is not as great as it would be, had he be -- you know, was -- would he be targeting actual, you know, college-age kids.

PHILLIPS: So why don't cops just come forward and say, hey this is a popular place for spring break, we want everybody to come here, but we're going to up the security, we're going to be on patrol. It could have a reverse effect and maybe, if more people were paying attention and were aware that this was going on, it might lead them to this guy. MCCREARY: Well, you know, they may be doing just those things. They may be increasing patrol. Certainly, the police are aware of this thing and they're working -- I'm sure they're working the case very hard. So, you know, some of those may be in play. And certainly it is getting coverage because here we are talking about it on CNN.

PHILLIPS: All right. So looking at what we do know, one of the things is, these victims were all prostitutes. Does that, more than likely, mean that this serial killer wouldn't go after a young college student?

MCCREARY: He may not. That may indicate someone who doesn't have the social skills necessary to approach someone using a con or a ruse or subterfuge or a ploy. Generally, people -- serial killers who prey on prostitutes are looking for very vulnerable victims, victims who will get in a car without question. They don't have to have some sort of elaborate ploy or subterfuge or con to get them in. They just pull up and open the door and they get in.

So it may be that sort of offender who isn't -- doesn't have the social skills, the interpersonal skills necessary to lure a college student away.

PHILLIPS: The fact that all three of these women were shot, is that an interesting factor, when you're looking at a profile?

MCCREARY: It's -- certainly. It's a thing that may well connect them together. It's also a little bit atypical for a serial killers, who more often than not, the method of death is some sort of asphyxial death, where there's choking or a strangulation of some sort involved. Shooting, this sort of shooting, is a little bit different.

PHILLIPS: All right, looking at the suspect profile right now. We got this from police detectives. They believe the killer is a man. They believe he's a serial offender. They believe a close acquaintance of the killer is causing stress and may become a victim in the future, and then finally, they believe the victims are substitute victims.

So what -- I mean this seems kind of general to me. But is this someone that -- someone that's special to them or someone that's in their life is causing this sort of rebellious behavior?

MCCREARY: Sometimes that happens. Sometimes we have external stressors or we can find external stresses that trigger the -- trigger the violent events. Other times it's more of an internal stressor, more of a psychological stress.

Certainly, we can't rule out that the individual involved could pose risk to those very close to him. Ed Kemper on the West Coast killed his own mother. He was killing college co-eds.

Another case I was involved in, in Canada, where the killer actually killed his wife's sister. So we can't rule out the fact that somebody close to the killer may be at risk and not just -- just random strangers. So -- and I'm sure the real heart of the profile, and the real issue, has been disclosed to the police but that typically isn't disclosed publicly. It's used to develop investigative strategy. And the whole goal, of course, is to cut short this guy's violent career.

PHILLIPS: Gregg, anything that we haven't talked about or touched on? As a lot of people get ready to go to this area for break and detectives are still trying to track this man down?

MCCREARY: Sure. I think, again, the keyword is vigilance, just being vigilant and careful in what they do down there. And the chances, statistically, of bumping into this guy are real small, but because the consequences are so huge, they do have to be vigilant.

PHILLIPS: FBI profiler Gregg McCreary. Thanks, Gregg.

MCCREARY: You're welcome. Thank you.

PHILLIPS: A shocking crime behind comprehension. Child molestation online, live with a global audience. We're expecting a major announcement by Attorney General Gonzales about one of these child porn rings. We're going to bring it to you live this hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Bird flu, it's spreading in Europe. Add Sweden to the growing list of countries confirming the deadly H5N1 virus in two wild ducks on the country's east coast.

Denmark, meanwhile, is waiting to find out whether the same strain killed a wild buzzard south of Copenhagen. Officials don't know for sure if the type of bird flu, just not whether it's the worst type. A quarantine is in place.

Similar fears thousands of miles away. Afghans say that they're 99 percent sure H5N1 killed several chickens there, but one more test is still pending.

And a shocking crime beyond comprehension. Child molestation online, live with a global audience. We're expecting a major announcement by Attorney Albert General -- or Alberto Gonzales, the attorney general, rather, about one of these child porn rings. That conference expected to start very soon. We're going to take that to you live.

And we want to bring up a tip line also. You know, we've been talking about this serial killer on the loose in Daytona Beach, Florida. Crime Stoppers asking you to call this number if you have information leading to those previous three murders. That man still on the loose: 1-888-277-TIPS.

And another blow for H&R Block, right at the heart of tax season. Susan Lisovicz joins me from the New York Stock Exchange with that story.

Are your taxes in, Susan? (STOCK REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: A child killer is awaiting his fate in Florida. Jury has recommended death for Joseph Smith. But it's up to a judge to decide the punishment for the crime that began as a security camera rolled.

CNN's John Zarrella outside the courthouse in Sarasota, Florida.

Boy, John, it's been going on such a long time.

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Sure has, Kyra. It's been two years now, of course, a little over two years, since Joseph Smith was captured on that grainy ten seconds of surveillance tape taken from a car wash here in Sarasota.

He is seen in that video walking up to 11-year-old Carlie Brucia, taking her arm and then leading her away. It was, of course, that video that led to his arrest and his ultimate conviction on the murder charges.

The jury recommended after the end of that trial in November that he be sentenced to death. It was a 10-2 decision. It is, of course, up to the judge to make final determination. But under Florida law, he has to take into consideration and weigh heavily what the jury recommended.

Now, a month ago, at what's known as a spencer (ph) hearing, Smith actually addressed the court for about eight minutes, said he was sorry. And talked about how wife was leaving him, how his business had failed, and how he was in a drug induced haze when he committed the crime. And he literally begged the court for mercy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOSEPH SMITH, CONVICTED KILLER: Judge Owens, I do not ask for mercy for myself. As you have heard, there have been many times that I did not care whether I lived or died. The only reason that I can see to ask you to give me a life sentence is for the sake of my family. I do not want to see my children hurt any further. I'm hopeful that I can still be positive influence to them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAVANDERA: As you might expect, Kyra, here in Sarasota, of course, there isn't much, if any, sympathy for Joseph Smith. And most experts believe that he will be sentenced to die -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: So the fact he's already admitted to the crime, what can he expect from the appeals process? And I'm told -- are we going to take a live picture, Jen? All right, we'll take the sentencing live when it happens, John.

So back to the fact he's already admitted to the crime, let's talk about the appeals process.

LAVANDERA: Well, that's a good point, Kyra, because what would normally happen is that, you know, he would have a lengthy appeal, and here in Florida it could take many years before he would end up dying here by lethal injection. But because he has admitted guilt, attorneys and legal experts we've talked to say he'll probably be on a fast track.

PHILLIPS: All right, John Zarrella, thank you so much. We're going to stay on top of this. And as soon as that sentencing takes place, or it begins rather, we'll take it live.

John, we'll talk around those live pictures.

Thanks, John.

It was supposed to be a harmless online prank, but it got serious in a hurry, and some teens became crime fighters on the fly.

CNN's Dan Simon with more now on California students sting and the arrests no one expected.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They thought it would be a good prank. These California teens went to the trendy Web site myspace.com, created a profile of a fake 15-year-old girl and started e-mailing a buddy, who started to think the girl had a crush on him. But it was no joke when a 48-year-old man started messaging their fictitious female.

MITCH, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT: We just made up this girl named "Stacy" at first, just a real random name. And then we started getting these messages from this guy.

SIMON: The boys placed along for several days, e-mailing back and forth with the man. Then the exchanges turned to sex.

MITCH: He was saying, you know, age doesn't matter to me and stuff.

SIMON: The teens, being teens, invited the man to a park for an encounter. Remember, the man thinks he's meeting a 15-year-old girl.

(on camera): The boys never really expected man to show up at this park. But sure enough, there he was. They recognized him from his picture online. That's when the teenagers decided to call police.

ARIF, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT: I was surprised. My face was like -- because he -- I wasn't thinking that he was going to actually show up.

SGT. WILLIAM MEGENNEY, FONTANA POLICE: Thank God they had the foresight to call the police department and explain what was going on.

SIMON (voice-over): Police arrested Michael Ramos on a felony charge of attempting to commit a lewd act on a child and two misdemeanors. He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment and is still in custody.

This is just the latest incident involving myspace.com, a free Web site where teens can do thing like blog and post pictures.

In Laguna Beach last month, police arrested 13 men who they say solicited minors on myspace. Also last month in Delaware, a 16-year- old girl reported missing after apparently communicating with an adult on myspace.

And in September in Port Washington, New York, authorities say a 16-year-old girl was molested after meeting a man on the site. Myspace told CNN it's taking measure to address sexual predators online. It tells us it's, quote, "working with hundreds of law enforcement agencies at the federal, state and local levels to address issues quickly and effectively."

As for the boys who conducted that prank.

MEGENNEY: It was an accident that actually turned out favorable to us.

SIMON: But it may have actually backfired on the teens. One parent said he's restricting his son's activities on the computer.

Dan Simon, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: If you had to imagine a more revolting, more despicable crime, you probably couldn't: child molestation on demand, online. Live streaming video with global clientele. We're expecting a major announcement by Attorney General Gonzales about one of these child porn rings. That news conference expecting to start very soon. We're going bring that to you live as soon as it happens.

Meanwhile, Kelli Arena joining us live right now to talk about it. We've got about a minute warning, I think, now, Kelli. But you're the one that first brought us this story.

Twenty-seven people caught, right?

KELLI ARENA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, 27 people arrested. I believe one of those is a fugitive, Kyra. But 27 people charged in the United States, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom for allegedly participating in a chatroom where they were able to share peer-to-peer files, where they took very sophisticated measure to conceal their identity and their activities. The chatrooms were called Kiddie Pics and Kiddie Pics, and you said, Kyra, it wasn't just still pictures. There was live streaming video of children being molested. In one case, an infant being molested. Investigators from Immigration Customs Enforcement, which led this whole sting operation, say that that is a trend, a very disturbing trend, that they're seeing more and more of, not only that, but the victims are getting younger and younger.

PHILLIPS: Now, do we -- we've been talking about how they're getting younger and younger. You even mentioned one of the victims, an infant.

ARENA: That's right.

PHILLIPS: What about those committing the crimes? I was reading anywhere from teenage to 75 years old? Is that...

ARENA: That's right, that's right. There doesn't seem to be a particular demographic that engages in this type of activity. But it is rampant, as you see. We have -- there are four countries involved just in this one sting operation. That's not counting hundreds who may have may have gone on to these sites and related sites like this. So very hard sometimes to cross jurisdictional lines and get convictions, you know, to make arrests, because there's -- you know, it's just very difficult when people are not providing personal information, or just using screen names, and going to the lengths that these people went, allegedly went to, in encrypting certain information, not allowing just anybody to sign on to these sites, anyone that they thought had any connection to law enforcement were banned from the site. This all laid out in the indictment that was just released a little bit ago -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: And just kind of looking forward as we wait for Gonzales to step up to the podium there, that is, you know, how to put a stop to what's happening online. And, you know, another story we've talked about today, this Google story: the Bush administration want to get some information from Google, Google saying no this was about privacy rights, the Bush administration saying we have to crack down on porn. Obviously, something's got to happen, something's going to happen, to try and figure out some way to stop this online.

ARENA: I mean, the key is the demand, Kyra. I mean, as long as there's a demand, people who are interested in this activity will find a way around it.

And the thing that's always so shocking, to me is that when you talk to me about these stories, they think you're talking about just pictures of naked children, you know, on the Internet. No, these are brutal rapes of babies, Kyra. That, you know, once you look at something like that -- I mean, I had nightmares for two weeks after looking at something. So we're talking some very violent crime.

We're going to hear right now from the attorney general, Kyra.

ALBERTO GONZALES, U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: Over the past few months, undercover investigators infiltrated an international Internet chatroom that was being used to facilitate the trading of graphic images of child pornography, including live streaming video of adults sexually molesting children and infants.

As of today, 27 individuals in the United States, Canada, Australia and England have been charged in connection to activity in a chatroom called Kiddie Pics and Kiddie Vids.

The charges brought by the United States occurred in nine different U.S. attorney districts and include possession, receipt, distribution and manufacture of child pornography, as well as conspiracy and other offenses.

As a result of this operation, seven victims of molestation have been identified. The youngest was less than 18 months old.

The chatroom in this case was monitored by hosts who establish rules for participation, some of which, it appears, were designed to hide their illegal activities from law enforcement.

Some participants of the chatroom used minors to produce images of child pornography and then made those images, including live shows, available to other members through the Internet.

For example, according to the indictment announced today in Chicago, in the last year, a defendant who used the screen name Acidburn allegedly produced live streaming video of himself sexually molesting an infant.

The behavior in these chatrooms and the images many of these defendants sent around the world through peer-to-peer file-sharing programs and private instant messaging services are the worst imaginable forms of child pornography.

This investigation is an example of how American law enforcement can and will work side by side with our international law enforcement partners to shut down these rings and protect young, vulnerable victims from the horrors of sexual abuse.

I should point out this indictment does not mean that these defendants have been convicted of a crime. But we plan to prosecute them and others involved in this vile chatroom to the fullest extent of the law.

The prosecution of cyber-crimes, especially those that target children, is one of the highest priorities of the Department of Justice. The Internet must be a safe place for all American, particularly our children.

A few weeks ago, I announced a major new initiative, Project Safe Childhood, to prevent the exploitation of our kids over the Internet, working on the fine work of the ICACs around the country.

With improved coordination between law enforcement at every level, similar to what we've seen in this case, we've been able to investigate and prosecute more sexual predators and child pornographers than ever before.

Sadly, as evidenced by the details I've described today, there is clearly plenty of work left to be done.

I'd like to thank all of the dedicated investigators and prosecutors involved in this case, including those from non-U.S. Attorney Offices across the nation, Julie Myers in Immigration and Customs Enforcement, state and local law enforcement, and, of course, our international partners in Canada, Australia and Great Britain.

We will continue to adapt our methods and strategies in law enforcement to keep up with rapidly changing technologies for criminal behavior.

PHILLIPS: The attorney general, touting a huge coup for the Justice Department and that is this international Internet-based child pornography ring that was taking place. Twenty-seven individuals arrested to date in the U.S., Canada, Australia and Great Britain. The youngest victim -- literally just makes your stomach turn -- 18 months old. That was the youngest victim on live streaming video.

One of these individuals participating in this ring, under arrest. And now some of those victims have been identified, and that will be the next step. A lot of privacy issues. Not sure what's going to happen to these young children. As Kelli Arena was telling us, a number of them go into to the foster care system. A lot of them have been kidnapped. Hopefully some of these children will be able to be able to brought back to their families after having to go through such an ordeal.

But the attorney general just making the point that although this molestation on demand is becoming an ever younger and more defenseless operation, and the most disturbing trend for ICE investigators, they are making progress and they are cracking down on this kind of activity. We'll be talking more about how those crackdowns, or all those stings are taking place, and also what's being done to try to prevent it.

Now, a sidebar to this. This is another story that we've stayed onto, and that is just how easy it is for online pornographers to prey on children. The government says it's too easy, especially since many seem to be outsourcing.

Thelma Gutierrez profiles a group of federal agents who are trying to make life a whole lot harder for online predators; impossible, even. She join us from Los Angeles.

And Thelma, I know that you've been on this story actually for years, going all across Central America and Mexico. This is definitely a good sign of the times to see a sting like this take place.

THELMA GUTIERREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, it certainly is. And as we talked to ICE investigators, they tell us that they get closer and closer to being able to crack down these rings.

Now, in the case of child pornography, agents with the Immigration Customs Enforcement, or ICE, told us that they are seeing an increase in what they call the average Joes, people who might not fit what we consider the profile of a hardcore pornographer. Now, people who view pornography on the Web, for example, who develop an interest in child porn and then maybe download a few images that they, in turn, post on the Net.

Now, Internet service providers have their own watchdogs who then turn those names over to law enforcement. And we looked into the case of a married father of three who had posted four downloaded images of child porn and then told agents he thought he had done nothing wrong. Well, now he's doing 17 months in a federal prison for possession and distribution. This man lost his home and his kids, and investigators say they will go hard after anyone who's involved in anyway.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JORGE GUZMAN, ICE SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE: The Internet has made it virtually possible for everyone to exchange images with the push of a button. And the Internet is monitored not only by predators, but also law enforcement.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GUTIERREZ: Now, many people think when they are in cyberspace they're operating in complete anonymity, but law enforcement says they are working in concert with some of those Internet providers. And when they launch an investigation and seize evidence like computers and cameras, those items are then examined in a forensic lab.

Now, we recently toured a lab where ICE agents showed us how they extract information with sophisticated software programs. And so just as investigators would not want to taint blood evidence or fingerprints, for example, at a crime scene, agents in a forensics crime lab handle it much the same way. And they have to create mirror images of the evidence and then look for what they call digital fingerprints from computer, from specific child porn pictures and from the memory sticks that contain that pornography.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID DRASIN, ICE SENIOR SPECIAL AGENT: When a digital photograph is taken, there's a lot of information that is stored, along with the picture, inside the picture, that the end user doesn't see. Such information might be the manufacturer of the camera, the model of the camera, the -- sometime the serial number of the camera, the date that the picture was taken, the time, and it might even tell us whether the flash was on, the speed of the aperture of the camera, when the picture was taken. There's quite a bit of information that can be gleaned.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GUTIERREZ: So all of that information that that agent just mentioned, that digital fingerprint, if you will. That information is then sent to a library of child porn in Washington, where they can try to compare that fingerprint with the fingerprint of many other photographs that are in that library. And from this, Kyra, they're able to determine who that child might be.

PHILLIPS: Wow, it's amazing how the technology has gotten so advanced. Thelma Gutierrez, thanks so much.

At the top of the hour, sentencing for the Florida man who abducted, raped and killed 11-year-old Carlie Brucia. A surveillance camera captured Joseph Smith walking up to Brucia and leading her away. We're going carry the sentencing live. Our John Zarrella is outside the courthouse in Sarasota. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) PHILLIPS: Back in business. Coal rolls out of West Virginia's Sago Mine for the first time since January's deadly explosion. Mining resumed just after 6:00 this morning, about the same time of day the mine's owners say that lightning struck on January 2nd. The company says the bolt ignited methane gas deep inside that mine, sealing the fate of a dozen miners. State and federal investigators continue.

The only miner to survive the Sago disaster went home yesterday for a home cooked meal and some time along with his family. Randy McCloy is still being treated in a rehab center for the after-effects of carbon monoxide poisoning that damaged his brain and other organs. McCloy was in a coma, you may recall, for weeks. And, yesterday, with a little assistance, he was able to walk into his own house.

A new beginning for Rusty Yates. Two days before his ex-wife will be retried for drown the couple's children, Yates is getting remarried on Saturday to a woman he met at church. Yates' first wife, Andrea, faces retrial Monday for killing three of their five children. She's pleading not guilty by reason of insanity, the same defense jurors in her first trial rejected.

A clinical trial leaves two young people in critical condition. We've got the details. The news keeps coming. We'll keep bringing it to you. More LIVE FROM next.

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PHILLIPS: President of the United States, live in Silver Spring, Maryland, right now, talking Medicare and prescription drugs -- actually, his prescription drug plan. If you want to listen to this in its entirety, you can go to CNN.com/pipeline. We're keeping out eyes and ears to it as well. We'll let you know what happens.

A clinical trial in the U.K. takes a turn for the worse. Six men, all of them young, became suddenly and violently sick. Two are in critical condition now after taking an experimental drug in a research study. The trial has been halted, and doctors in London are doing all that they can to help those patients.

At just 13 years old, he left the world with volumes of wise words and peaceful poems.

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MATTIE STEPANEK, AUTHOR: Our eyes are for looking at things, but they're also for crying when you're very happy or very sad. Our ears are for listening, but so are our hearts.

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PHILLIPS: Coming up, we're going to hear from Mattie Stepanek's mother about his final book and lasting influence. Stay with us.

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