Feds seeing increase in live web cams exploiting children

ATLANTA — There is a warning to parents about a disturbing new trend among child predators.
 
The U.S. attorneys in Atlanta said they are seeing more cases of child predators using web cameras to exploit young children.
 
Jeffrey Clouse, 47, was sentenced by a federal judge Tuesday to 20 years in prison for using his web camera to produce child pornography.
 
"I'm so disgusted by myself by allowing myself to get involved in that," Clouse said to federal agents in a taped confession.
 
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kurt Erskine told a judge on Tuesday that agents discovered 682 images and 85 videos of child pornography in the husband and father's possession.
 
He said some of the victims were as young as 5 years old.
 
"It kind of detaches from reality. In my mind, it was kind of a like a fantasy," Clouse said in the confession.
 
"This involves egregious facts, even for a child pornography case. Mr. Clouse used a mother located in the Philippines to sexually abuse her two daughters," said John Horn, the acting United States attorney in the Northern District of Georgia.
 
Prosecutors allege Clouse instructed the woman to commit the illegal acts.
 
Horn said his office is aggressively prosecuting these cases all over the metro Atlanta area.
 
"We are seeing an alarming increase in this kind of child offense," Horn told Channel 2's Rachel Stockman.
 
Horn wants to warn parents about the increase of what is called live "web-camming" – which pedophiles can commit right at home.
 
"Now with the increased use of webcams and social media, it is another platform predators can reach out on," Horn said.
 
Local mother Angelika Taylor said she is unfortunately aware of the disturbing problem.
 
"It is just unbelievable. I really can't stand it," Taylor told Stockman. "I always tell them (her daughter) to look out and use their sixth sense."
 
Clouse was sentenced to 20 years, with two years already served, since the 2013 arrest.
 
During his sentencing, Clouse sincerely apologized for everything his actions have caused.