Grand jury indicts theater voluntee
Posted by: "Texoma Coalition" htexastom@... htexastom
Thu Aug 31, 2006 8:58 pm (PST)
MyWestTexas.com - Local News - 08/31/2006 - Grand jury indicts theater volunteer
in child porn case


08/31/2006

Grand jury indicts theater volunteer in child porn case

Bob Campbell<br>Staff Writer
Midland Reporter-Telegram

A 58-year-old Midland man who was a long-time theater volunteer has been
indicted for possession of Internet child pornography.

A U.S. District Court grand jury returned the indictment after Donald Ray Wilson
was taken into custody at his 4700 Boulder Drive apartment by agents of U.S.
Immigration & Customs Enforcement and Midland police officers.

He is accused of having "three or more files of visual depictions of minors
engaging in sexually explicit conduct."

Ordering Wilson held without bond at Odessa Detention Center, U.S. Magistrate
Stuart Platt noted he was sentenced to three years in the Texas Department of
Criminal Justice after being convicted of indecency with a child by contact in
San Angelo in 1984.

"The defendant has a prior criminal history that indicates he spent 18 months in
prison for fondling a child," the judge wrote. "This indicates to the court that
he has acted on his improper passions and desires.

"Furthermore, he took the stand and acknowledged he does interact with minors in
his role in various theater groups in Midland."

Platt said one of those groups is "Summer Mummers," which stages an annual
series of comedies to raise money for Midland Community Theater.

ICE Agent Adam Wilson of Fort Stockton said the Newark, N.J., office of his
agency had notified him Internet child pornography purchases were being made
from Wilson's e-mail address, containing his first and last name.

"After entering apartment No. 303, MPD officers observed two framed pictures on
a bedroom wall that appeared to be child pornography," Agent Wilson reported.
"The laptop had a screen saver featuring 40 images of child pornography."

Reporting the discovery of Web sites containing pornographic images of
prepubescent children with adults, he said two more such framed photographs were
found on a bookcase in the living room.

"Both of these photos appeared to have been printed on a home printer using
pictures from the Internet," the agent said.

Platt said Wilson was arrested for indecency with a child in San Angelo on Aug.
16, 1983, ironically the same date of his Midland arrest 23 years later, and
convicted by a Tom Green County jury on April 16, 1984.

TDCJ records say he was released from prison May 31, 1985, and discharged from
parole two years later.

ICE documents filed with the U.S. District Clerk's Office said the 40 images
mentioned by Agent Wilson were part of a computer "slide show" and the suspect
had more than 900 such images in his computer.

The agent also cited evidence that the suspect had exchanged e-mails "with at
least two" minors.

Tim Jebsen, executive director of Midland Community Theater, told the
Reporter-Telegram Wilson had been a volunteer for more than three years.

"This caught us completely by surprise because he was just a normal volunteer --
well liked and a hard worker," Jebsen said.

"He'd stock supplies in the front of Yucca Theater and was involved as an actor
with us in several productions."

Although minors were routinely involved, Wilson was never suspected of improper
behavior. "We had no complaints about him," Jebsen said.

"We had no clue. We don't do background checks on volunteers."

Jebsen was unsure of what company Wilson worked for, but he said the suspect
checked convenience stores to ensure they were adequately stocked and brought
beverages to sell to theater crowds.

He said Wilson was also involved in Maverick Theatre productions in Midland Park
Mall.

Platt appointed Midland attorney Wayne Frost to represent Wilson, who could be
sentenced to more than 10 years in prison if convicted.

©MyWestTexas.com 2006

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