A former television weatherman was convicted Wednesday in federal court on charges of transporting, receiving and possessing child pornography and now faces a mandatory 10 years up to 30 years in federal prison.
After a one-day bench trial, agreed to by attorneys on both sides, U.S. District Judge Tena Campbell found 32-year-old Matthew Duhamel of Bountiful guilty on three felony counts in connection to a Web site Duhamel ran with a business partner featuring scantily clad 9- and 10-year-old girls.
Federal prosecutors say Duhamel and Charles Granere ran a pay-to-view Web site that featured girls wearing scant clothing in suggestive poses. Last fall, both men argued the pictures were not pornographic because the minors were clothed, however Campbell pointed out in a ruling that the U.S. Supreme Court has determined nudity was not required to constitute pornography.
Duhamel faces sentencing on June 19. Granere pleaded guilty to one count of transporting child pornography in a plea deal . He faces up to 15 years in federal prison.