Man Gets 40 Years In Shocking Child Porn Case

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A former Bartlett man has been sentenced to 40 years in prison, convicted in a child pornography ring that included the sexual abuse of a baby for a live audience.

As WBBM Newsradio 780's Regine Schlesinger reports, the offenses committed by Brian Annoreno, now 35, left the entire Chicago area and beyond shocked and horrified when he was charged in federal court five years ago.

Annoreno was among around 30 defendants who were charged in the international porn ring. Using the screen name "Acidburn," he appeared on a live, streaming video of himself sexually molesting an infant.

Three other Chicago area men – Gregory Sweezer and Alan Jungles of Aurora and David Holst of North Aurora, were also charged in connection with the child porn ring. The other defendants came from elsewhere in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and other countries.

LISTEN: Newsradio 780's Regine Schlesinger reports

The group used an Internet chat room to facilitate the trading of thousands of child porn images, and offered the streaming video of live molestations through instant messaging services worldwide, according to the U.S. Attorney's office.

"This case involved the most disturbing criminal sexual assault of minors," U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald said in a news release. "The exploitation of children in such a depraved manner can never be tolerated."

Annoreno also admitted to participating in the "Kiddypics & Kiddyvids" chat room, which was hosted through a software program allowing for peer-to-peer file sharing. He admitted that between early 2005 and early 2006, he conspired with Sweezer, an Osceola, Iowa, resident named Lisa Winebrenner, and others to trade the child porn images.

The chat room was maintained by a host and various administrators, each of whom had special privileges, including establishing rules for participants. The primary host was a Tennessee man until he was arrested in 2006, when Winebrenner, known by the screen name "HumbleDuchess," became the host and assumed responsibility for maintaining accessibility for participants.

When he was arrested in March 2006, one of Annoreno's neighbors was left speechless by the charges.

"I'm shaking because it's so disturbing to think people are like that," neighbor Rebecca Ko told CBS 2 at the time.

Neighbor Keith McCullough was furious upon hearing about the charges five years ago.

"If I would even catch him I would probably strangle him because I have a 10-year-old daughter," he told CBS 2 in March 2006, pointing out that Annoreno had once attended a party in his daughter's honor before neighbors knew of the suspect's crimes.

Annoreno himself was the father of an 18-month-old girl at the time of his arrest.

Annoreno pleaded guilty in December 2010 to one count each of conspiracy to receive, transmit and advertise child pornography; receiving child pornography, and possessing child pornography, the release said.

U.S. District Judge James B. Zagel sentenced the Annoreno, 35, to 40 years in prison on Friday. He has been in federal custody since he was arrested in January 2006 and he will receive credit for time served. He faced up to 50 years, the release said.

Sweezer is now serving a 12-year prison sentence, Jungels a 12-year sentence, and Holst a 5-year, 10-month sentence. All pleaded guilty to counts connected with the child pornography ring in 2007 and 2008.