Kennesaw (GA) youth minister indicted on child porn

[Pandabear]

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/cobb/stories/2008/12/23/cobb_porn_magic.html

Kennesaw youth minister indicted on child porn
‘Magic Jeff’ accused of taking videos of boys in public rest rooms.

Over 5,000 images of child pornography and other sexual exploitative materials were allegedly seized from a former Kennesaw youth minister and magician’s home computer, according to a 14-page federal complaint.

Jeffrey Alan Wasley, 37, was indicted Monday by a federal grand jury on charges of producing and receiving child pornography. Wasley is accused of taking videos of boys — some as young as 4 years old — while they were using public rest rooms.

He is being held in an undisclosed location pending a Dec. 30 bond hearing.

If convicted, the charges carry a total maximum sentence of 70 years in prison and fine of up to $500,000, said Patrick Crosby, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Wasley was known as “Magic Jeff” when he performed his popular magic act at amusement parks, local hospitals and schools. He last performed at American Adventures amusement park in Marietta, where he was employed as a magician.

He also served as youth minister for Calvary Jesus Church in Kennesaw. The investigation of Wasley began in July, when he was arrested by Cobb police on child molestation charges, which are still pending.

Two boys, ages 5 and 7, told detectives Wasley approached them in the bathroom of a Target store at 740 Barrett Parkway in Kennesaw. He is accused of pulling down the pants of the 7-year-old to tuck in his shirt. The boy wasn’t wearing underwear, according to the federal complaint.

The 5-year-old said Wasley was standing behind him while he was using the rest room. The child reported hearing clicking noises, like pictures were being taken.

When police searched Wasley’s home, they found six videos on his computer showing young boys, between the ages of 4 and 8, using the rest room, according to the complaint.

Since the video equipment Wasley is accused of using was manufactured in China, he could be charged with violating federal interstate commerce laws.

“This defendant’s actions are especially disturbing because he was allegedly surreptitiously filming young boys in public rest rooms,” U.S. Attorney David E. Nahmias said in a statement. “In addition, he had allegedly collected a large amount of child pornography, actions which support a market designed solely to sexually exploit children for others’ sick enjoyment.”

Wasley was arrested again on Dec. 11, when the Cobb SWAT team arrived at his home to serve him with a warrant for the federal charges. He barricaded himself in the basement of his home and tried to commit suicide by cutting himself.

[Roamer]

I hope he has to serve the 70 years. Sounds like a disgusting person, who was involved with many children over the years.

[Pandabear]

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/cobb/stories/2008/12/30/child_molestation_kennesaw.html


2 boys say they were molested by ‘Magic Jeff’ minister

Cobb man, accused of taking videos of youths in public restrooms, not charged in those cases



Two boys have come forward and said they were once molested by a Kennesaw youth minister facing federal child pornography charges, a Cobb County police officer testified Tuesday.

One 9-year-old has told investigators that “something bad happened” when he was with Jeffrey Alan Wasley, Sgt. Brian A. Moore said. Another 16-year-old has said he was fondled by Wasley eight years ago when Wasley gave the boy magic lessons, the sergeant said.


Authorities expect more youths to come forward as well, said Moore, adding that Wasley has not been charged in connection with those alleged incidents.

During Tuesday’s bond hearing, prosecutors laid out an extensive, sordid case against Wasley, accused of taking surreptitious videos of boys using public restrooms. At the close of the hearing, a U.S. magistrate ordered Wasley detained without bond pending his trial.

The 37-year-old father of two tried to commit suicide, slitting his wrist and neck and stabbing himself in the chest, when the Cobb SWAT team and U.S. Secret Service agents came to arrest him at his home Dec. 11.

Agents found suicide notes prepared by Wasley for his wife and children, U.S. Secret Service Special Agent Tim Griffin testified. “He was apologizing,” he said.

Agents also found a novel Wasley had written about a man who was abused as a child and grew up to be a molester, Griffin said.

Wasley, who is under suicide watch, appeared at Tuesday’s hearing in an orange jail jumpsuit with bandages covering his upper chest. He pleaded not guilty to the federal charges.

Wasley served as youth minister for Calvary Jesus Church in Kennesaw. He was known as “Magic Jeff” for performing a popular magic act at hospitals and schools. He once worked as a magician at American Adventures amusement park in Marietta.

Wasley was first arrested in July for approaching two boys, ages 5 and 7, in the bathroom of a Target store in Kennesaw. He reportedly tucked in one boy’s shirt.

At that time, agents searched Wasley’s home and seized four computers. On one, agents found about 5,000 images of suspected child pornography. It appears that Wasley downloaded most of them from the Internet, Griffin said.

Also found on the computer were nine videos of boys using public bathrooms that authorities believe Wasley took with his Olympus camera. One video was taken over the shoulder of a boy using the bathroom and who then looks up to see the camera. Because the startled boy’s arm probably struck the camera, it was then turned around on the man taking the video.

“It was obviously Mr. Wasley’s face in the video,” Griffin testified.

Wasley was granted bond on the Cobb charges and was home when agents came to arrest him five months later on federal charges, Griffin said. This time, he said, authorities seized another home computer that had almost 12,000 more images — and 90 videos — of suspected child pornography.