The chairman of a southwest Oklahoma district of the Boy Scouts of America has been arrested on child pornography charges. Reports say retired Air Force Airman Steven Foreman, 52, was arrested at his Altus home after an Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) investigator received images of child pornography allegedly coming from a computer at Foreman's home.
Investigators seized computers they say contained files and images of child pornography.
Foreman is the district chairman of the Kicking Bird District (Beckham, Greer, Harmon and Jackson counties) of the Boy Scouts of America. Upon learning of his child pornography arrest, the Boy Scouts released the following statement:
“This behavior is unacceptable and runs counter to everything for which the Boy Scouts of America stands. Upon learning of these allegations we took immediate action to remove this individual from Scouting and precluded him from any further participation in our programs. The safety of our youth members is of paramount importance and we seek to prevent child abuse through a comprehensive program of education on the subject, the chartered organization leader selection process, criminal background and other checks, policies and procedures to serve as barriers to abuse and the prompt mandatory reporting of any allegation or suspicion of abuse.”
Foreman is charged with aggravated possession of child pornography. He is held in the Jackson County jail on $500,000 bond. A preliminary hearing conference is scheduled for July 11.
Oklahoma law defines child pornography as sexually explicit images of minors under the age of 18. State law in 21 O.S. § 1021.2 prohibits the possession, production or manufacture, or distribution of child pornography, making such act a felony punishable by a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $25,000 fine.
Section 1040.12a of the Oklahoma Criminal Code defines and prescribes penalties for aggravated possession of child pornography:
A. Any person who, with knowledge of its contents, possesses one hundred (100) or more separate materials depicting child pornography shall be, upon conviction, guilty of aggravated possession of child pornography. The violator shall be punished by imprisonment in the custody of the Department of Corrections for a term not exceeding life imprisonment and by a fine in an amount not more than Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00). The violator, upon conviction, shall be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offenders Registration Act.
B. For purposes of this section:
1. Multiple copies of the same identical material shall each be counted as a separate item;
2. The term "material" means the same definition provided by Section 1040.75 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes and, in addition, includes all digital and computerized images and depictions; and
3. The term "child pornography" means the same definition provided by Section 1040.80 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes and, in addition, includes sexual conduct, sexual excitement, sadomasochistic abuse, and performance of material harmful to minors where a minor is present or depicted as such terms are defined in Section 1040.75 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes.
Aggravated possession of child pornography is a Level 1 sex offense. Conviction of this crime requires a person to register as a sex offender for 15 years following the completion of the sentence.
