Brandon Eakman
Brandon Eakman kept the largest collection of child pornography ever prosecuted in Lancaster County Court, according to testimony Friday at his sentencing.
He possessed more than 13,000 photos and videos on personal computers and zip drives, according to testimony.
The collection was sorted into various detailed catalogues, a local judge noted.
Lancaster County Judge Margaret Miller said the detail and organization would "shame a professional librarian."
"There is a big difference between a mistake and a series of intentional actions," Miller told Eakman. "A mistake is made in math.
"You were a child pornography addict."
Miller ordered a sentence of 9 to 23 months in prison, followed by 47 years on probation.
Eakman, a well-spoken man in dress pants and a tie, said he realizes his problem and is in counseling for it.
"I recognize my mistake. I still believe I have a lot of work to do," he said.
Eakman, 24, was fired from his job as a draftsman at an architecture firm in 2010 when an employee saw him viewing the graphic content at work.
When police were called, Eakman also showed officers the large collection he kept at his Manheim home.
The collection was so large that prosecutors didn't have the resources to charge on every single image and video. They filed 302 charges; some of the zip drives containing numerous porn images were filed as single charges.
"This isn't a case of short curiosity," Assistant District Attorney Joseph McMahon said. "These catalogues are unlike anything our county investigators have dealt with before.
"This wasn't a small problem. This doesn't happen by just scanning the Internet."
Upon arrest, Eakman told police he was stimulated by the photos but would never harm a child, according to testimony.
McMahon said — and the judge agreed — that Eakman, in fact, was doing just that.
"They are not just pictures. They are real victims," McMahon said.
Miller scolded Eakman for not thinking of the victims who are shamed every time someone views the lewd material.
"It's not just that it's tacky. It's not just that it's socially awkward," Miller said of the crimes.
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