TIMELINE: How investigators tracked 'mywebboys'
EUGENE, Ore. -- From an initial cybertip to the National Center for Missing and Endangered Children, cyber sleuths used the power of the subpoena to pry bits of information from a series of Internet services.
The end result: Investigators got a search warrant for a Eugene home and the Cottage Grove Police Department based on evidence that images of child pornograph had been posted to a Phototbucket account from the Eugene address -- and that the e-mail address used to create the Photobucket account was created using Internet service registered to the Cottage Grove Police Department.
As a result of the investigation, Kim Scott Graham pleaded guilty to one count of possessing child pornography.
Here's a timeline of how the investigation proceeded:
Sept. 22, 2008
A Photobucket employee reports to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that user "mywebboys" had posted 118 images of prepubescent boys, including eight suspected images of child pornography.
Oct. 16, 2008
Photobucket responds to a subpoena for information about user "mywebboys." The company replies that the account was created Sept. 5, 2008, at 12:59:05 a.m. PDT, registered to "mywebboys@gmail.com." Investigators trace the user's Internet Protocal address to Comcast.
Comcast responds to a subpoena for information related to the user of the IP address. Comcast gives investigators the name, phone number and Cal Young neighborhood address of a Eugene man.
Google responds to a subpoena for information about the registered user of "mywebboys@gmail.com" with information that the account was created Aug. 11, 2008, at 2 a.m. PDT, that the user provided "mywebboys2@yahoo.com" as an alternate e-mail address, and that the IP address used to create the mywebboys@gmail.com was provided by Opus Interactive and different from the Comcast IP address.
Nov. 5, 2008
Opus Interactive responds to subpoena for information. Company responds that address had been sold to OIP Earthclick.
Nov. 6, 2008
OIP Earthlcick responds to a subpoena for information and responds that the IP address used to create mywebboys@gmail.com account belongs to the Cottage Grove Police Department.
Dec. 3, 2008
FBI requests check on driver's license and criminal history for owner of man identified by Comcast as registered user of IP address used to create mywebboys Photobucket account. Oregon DMV returns name of 42-year-old Eugene man. Criminal history lists no prior arrests but does list an affiliation with the Cottage Grove Police Department.
Dec. 4, 2008
Oregon Department of Justice provides FBI with reports and evidence related to two other cybertips related to child pornography that were linked to the Eugene man's Comcast IP address. The cases had been inadvertantly closed without prosecution along with a large number of cases related to suspects operating outside of the United States. The IP address was used to create two Flickr photo sharing Web sites that contained over 200 images of child pornography.
Investigators also link the Eugene man's IP address to comments soliciting child pornography "e-mail pics for trade" posted on PhotoIsland in 2004.
Dec. 31, 2008
FBI agent searches Cottage Grove Police Department Web site for man's name and confirm he is listed as a member of the police force.
Feb. 27, 2009
Oregon DOJ informs FBI of 200 images of child pornography posted to Flickr account "mywebboys2@yahoo.com" on Feb. 23. Investigators estimate the ages of the boys in the photos to be between 4 and 8 years old.
March 6, 2009
FBI executes search warrant at the Eugene home of the man who is registered user of IP address used to create Photobucket account and post photographs in 2008 and post comments seeking pics for trade in 2004 on PhotoIsland. Agents also search the Cottage Grove Police Department.
April 2009
The officer under investigation resigns from the Cottage Grove Police Department
Oct. 21, 2009
Kim Scott Graham pleads guilty to one count of possessing child pornography.
Source: Affidavit for search warrant filed by Special Agent Christopher Luh with the FBI
