The following interesting article appeared on page 6 of the August 3, 1996 Seattle Times. County Accuses Four of Using the Internet to Access Child Porn -------------------------------------------------------------- By Ronald K. Fitten Seattle Times Staff Reporter Four men, including two former Microsoft employees, have been charged with allegedly using computers to access child pornography on the Internet, said King County Prosecutor Norm Maleng. "Traditional law-enforcement efforts against child pornography have focused on magazines, movies, and tangible materials," Maleng said yesterday. "But law enforcement faces new challenges with the emergence of new technology. The Internet, with its millions of international web sites, has become the new underground highway for illegal child pornography." The two former Microsoft engineers, Michael Seaman, 37, of Kirkland, and Ronald Rosul Jr., 31, of Seattle, allegedly used Microsoft computers to access and copy child pornography from the Internet, according to prosecutors. Microsoft said both were fired after Microsoft discovered the alleged crimes in October 1995. Seaman is charged with possession of child pornography. He allegedly used his Microsoft computer to collect more than 2,500 files of photographs of young children in sexual poses or being sexually abused. Rosul is also charged with possession of child pornography. He allegedly used Microsoft equipment to manufacture a CD-ROM disk containing child pornography. Both Seaman and Rosul will be arraigned next week in King County Superior Court. If convicted, both could receive up to one year in jail. Maleng, who said police and prosecutors worked cooperatively with Microsoft throughout the investigation, said law-enforcement officers had confiscated computer hard drives, CD-ROMs, and printed materials as evidence. Microsoft spokesman Mark Murray said the company found out about the activities of its two former employees last year and alerted police. "We provided the police with the computers to pull up the evidence," Murray said. In an unrelated case, William D. Powell, 52, or Renton, and Dwight Hunter, 48, of Bellevue, are charged with possession of and dealing in child pornography. Powell, an unemployed engineer, is accused of using his home computer to exchange child pornography with Hunter. If convicted of both offenses, Powell, who has a warrant out for his arrest after failing to appear at his arraignment three weeks ago, could be sentenced to between 21 and 27 months in prison. Hunter, an unemployed salesman, is accused of using his home computer to exchange child pornography with Powell and of having photographs in his computer disks of children engaged in several types of sexual activities with adults, other children, and a dog. Hunter will be arraigned next week. If convicted, he could receive almost three years in prison.