Crime & Safety
Parents Blast Judge for Freeing Child Porn Suspect
Parents of boys whose nude pictures appeared on the Internet says judge showed more sympathy to defendant than to victims.
Indignant parents of children who appeared in nude photographs posted on the Internet issued a statement blasting the federal judge who released the West Bloomfield man accused of child pornograpy, saying the judge’s decision to grant bond to Matthew Kuppe “diminished the profoundness of his crimes.”
Kuppe, a former Jewish Community Center counselor facing federal pornography charges, had been held without bond since his arrest last August on allegations that he shared nude photos he had taken in a folder marked “Jewish boys” on Internet sharing website based in Russia.
Department of Homeland Security authorities arrested Kuppe in August after discovering dozens of nude photographs believed to have been taken at the camp. He is charged with production, distribution, receipt and possesion of child pornography charges.
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The photos included at least three 5-year-olds, including one whose name was allegedly included in the post, according to court records.
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Cohn also said that Kuppe’s life and the lives of his parents have “been completely unended since his arrest.”
“It’s sad to believe that an esteemed judge could draw this disturbing conclusion, and sympathize with the defendant and his family … inconsiderate of the turmoil of the victims in this case and their families,” the parents said in a statement released to the Detroit Free Press.
The statement continued:
“We are extremely disappointed that Judge Cohn dismissed the actions of Mr. Kuppe and diminished the profoundness of his crimes. Having read the communications that were sent with the naked photos of our children to the undercover agent about what Kuppe did or wanted to do to our children, it is plain and obvious that this was child pornography intended to arouse.
“While Matt Kuppe is home enjoying Thanksgiving dinner and welcoming a new year in comfort, our families are seeking the service of professional therapists to help us understand what may be going on in the boys’ heads. This devastating incident has forever changed our lives and we will not know for quite some time what impact this will have on our children. Just because you can’t see the damage doesn’t mean it is not there.”
The parents also noted that Oakland County authorities did not pursue sexual abuse charges against Kuppe “simply because three 5-year-old boys did not admit to being touched … which is an entirely different charge than which is being tried in federal court.”
“Tying the lack of evidence in a pedophilia case to production of child pornography is a huge leap and a flawed argument,” they wrote. “Boys the ages of our sons are known to not admit to things that they know are wrong. The defendant admitted to touching one our our sons and being aroused by it, the repercussions of which may not be known for years to come. “
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