An old friend of mine turned out to be a Child Porn Producer

[TheLegacy]

Parents can’t help but wonder: was my child a target? The question comes after the arrest of a teacher on charges of possessing child pornography.

When investigators raided the home of Leslie Hoogland Friday, they seized computers, camera equipment, and what they allege was a cache of disgusting pictures involving youngsters. He appeared in court on Monday.

The 53-year-old has been under the microscope for months, but cops only recently learned he was an English, literacy and marketing teacher at West Toronto C.I.

http://www.pulse24.com/News/Top_Stor...7-006/page.asp

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I worked with this guy in my last job and found him to be one of the calmest diplomatic people on the face fo the earth. even today I contacted my old employer to verify this was the truth. Everyone is shocked and saddened that for all the time we spoke of our distain for those who produce CP, this guy was working under all our noses producing it, and perhaps using the equipment to make it.

My heart goes out to the families and victims - but its shocking when now you have a face and friend that falls into a category of those you always held up as predators that you would shoot in a heartbeat.

Yet - the whole case is not about me, nor a man I considered a friend, but the horrible acts he produced on film with innocent kids. I am in tears thinking where I may have missed signals or signs that I could have stopped this, but cant figure it out.

so close to helping, yet not aware enough to change a thing.

[basschick]

your message is an important message to put out there.

cp isn't just done by psychos and weirdos - nor is molestation. but our society always believes that normal people we know would not harm a child in this way. our movies, books, culture, make it clear that great evil is done by people OF great evil that are easily recognized.

every time someone gets the word out the normal people do these horrible acts, it changes another person's perception. we can't stop these things till we can recognize them.

[TheLegacy]

I had just recently heard the news and found out that the police had a bunch of pictures but not sure of the id.

I just spoke with the police who knew nothing of Les working at a porn company, much less one that has twinks - boys live on camera and he was a chat op. I explained that the pictures may be of that group and the boys they have pictures of were probably working there - any maybe they were wrong.

the police were very thankful but explained that some of the movies / pictures were verified that the boys were way under age and they had the ID to prove it.

[Ounique]

I'm so sorry to hear this Legacy. Don't beat yourself up over it. How could you have known. I'm sure he went to great lengths to hide this from everyone.

[Lee]

Originally posted by basschick
cp isn't just done by psychos and weirdos - nor is molestation. but our society always believes that normal people we know would not harm a child in this way.

That is so true if only it were done by the said groups of individual you mentioned (not that it should be done at all you understand)

Its akin to those individuals you see on the news who end up mass murdering people the neighbors always end up saying that 'he/she was such a quiet person who you wouldnt think would harm anyone'.

That doesnt make it any easier or better though

Regards,

Lee

[basschick]

that's exactly what it reminds me of, lee.

also look at how we are taught to recognize the bad guys - darth vader, the wicked witch, count dracula, the james bond villains. none have a shred of decency and they are VERY easy to spot. i've read many times that hitler loved his dogs and his girlfriend, and was very kind and loving to them.

nobody is entirely the "bad guy", which makes it very hard to see.

[TheLegacy]

he was the sweetest daddy type of guy you could meet. Calm, thoughtful and very intelligent. In the many discussions I had with him, some were specifically about CP, and he always appeared as upset about it as I was.

thats some of the things i remember with him.. the talks specifically about CP - I had thought I knew him - but its an eery feeling knowing you had a discussion with someone like that and he turns out this way.

and your right, I am sure for those who knew hitler, they would have thought he was kind, gentle and had a soft heart under all that black uniform - hell - there were many who thought he was right when he collected religious artifacts - wow - what a christian he was!!

[basschick]

TheLegacy - i bet your feel your entire world view has been turned upside-down :-(