KINGMAN – His lawyer indicated that a young man who suffers from autism and deals with isolation and depression became addicted to pornography. Defense attorney Ross Carponelli’s remarks came during an April 3 sentencing hearing for Orion Muth, 20, Yucca.
A cyber tip from the International Crimes Against Children organization prompted the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office investigation that led to Muth’s arrest last year.
Muth is convicted of luring a minor for sexual exploitation through a plea agreement. Deputy Mohave County Attorney Carlos Lopez said Muth communicated with a teenager and directed her to share videos of her engaged in inappropriate activity.
“I’m sorry for what has happened,” Muth told Judge Billy Sipe. He expressed hope that the 14-year-old victim is okay.
The plea deal also convicts Muth of three counts reduced to attempted sexual exploitation of a minor. Judge Billy Sipe said investigators found hundreds of child pornography videos in the defendant’s possession, but that he was most concerned with 44 videos involving bestiality.
“It’s very disturbing to the court that anybody would look at these images,” Sipe said. He imposed the seven-year prison term mandated in the plea deal, followed by lifetime probation.
Dave Hawkins
