Child porn draws six years

GREENVILLE -- For the dark, depraved nights David Chatham watched obscene images of strangers' children, he will spend the next six years in prison.

For admitting his addiction to child pornography and warning others away from his path, Chatham, 43, was spared even more time behind bars.

"He's done much to move this horrible thing we keep in secret and open it wide," Joseph Cheshire, Chatham's attorney, told the judge.

A year ago, Chatham was an ambitious executive for the Raleigh public relations firm Capstrat whose days were filled with power lunches and board meetings.

A knock on the door last December sent Chatham into a freefall. A team of detectives discovered that Chatham had been collecting child pornography, swapping videos and images with other voyeurs in Internet chatrooms.

As Chatham's world collapsed, he decided to chronicle his journey in a blog, on the radio and before medical professionals in hopes that his experience would dissuade others from making the same choices. Chatham's story was told in a News & Observer article in September.

Over the last year, Chatham sold the North Raleigh home he shared with his wife Lisa to find money for legal fees and therapy. Friends and coworkers shunned him. After he pleaded guilty in September, he began living in a tiny jail cell, free only to stretch his legs an hour or so a day.

On Thursday, Chatham was pale and frail in an orange jumpsuit, his legs shackled at his ankles. He wiped tears as he asked U.S. District Court Judge Malcolm Howard for mercy.

"I lived a lie for 43 years, and I hope I have 43 more to turn that around," Chatham told Howard.

Congress passed a law mandating that those convicted in federal court of possessing child pornography must spend at least five years in prison. Chatham possessed at least 3,400 images of child pornography. Many of the videos and pictures depicted very young children; some images were particularly violent. Under the sentencing guidelines, those factors pushed his recommended punishment to between eight and 10 years.

Howard offered some leniency, though, because of Chatham's outreach efforts since he was caught. Howard disregarded the sentencing guidelines, awarding Chatham credits which amounted to two years for his public contrition.

"Mr. Chatham's post discovery of his illness is extraordinary," Howard said.

Chatham could be sent to any federal prison, though Cheshire asked that he be sent to one of two prisons, in Butner or a facility in Massachusetts, that offer treatment for sex offenders.

Since September, Chatham has lived in solitary confinement in a local jail. Chatham had asked to be segregated, fearing he would fall victim to the wrath of other inmates who lash out at those who hurt children.

'Shame and guilt'

Chatham's days have been filled with writing and reading magazines and novels. He drafts posts for his blog (fromshame2grace) and passes them off to his wife during their 20-minute weekly visits. He studies the Bible to prep for weekly discussions with his pastor.

Chatham has taken his new reality in stride.

In a recent letter to The News & Observer, Chatham wrote: "Time has passed relatively quickly since Sept. 14. I've had a few rough days, mostly out of shame and guilt for putting Lisa and others through this, but overall I've done OK."