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THE WORLD'S BIGGEST CHILD PORN INVESTIGATION
The biggest investigation into child pornography
on the internet began in 1999. Landslide Productions
was a company that advertised and provided access
to child porn web sites. Subscribers paid a fee
of $29.95 to enter.
Thinking that computers provided anonymity some
300,000 people in 60 countries subscribed to view
and download the images. But when Landslide Productions
was busted the subscription list was handed over
to the authorities all over the world (see below
for a comparison of arrests made in this investigation).
Here is a breakdown of the events in the case:
1997
Thomas Reedy begins operating Landslide Productions.
(read more about Thomas Reedy)
APRIL 1999
United States Postal investigators first hear of
Reedy’s web site.
MAY 1999
U.S. Postal inspectors find their “smoking
gun”, a banner advertising “Child Porn”.
SEPTEMBER 8, 1999
Postal inspectors, Dallas Police, the FBI, and other
authorities conduct a raid on the Reedy’s
home. Almost immediately, Operation Avalanche is
launched in the U.S.
APRIL 2000
U.S. authorities issue an 89-count federal indictment
against the Reedys.
SUMMER 2000
An investigator from the Ontario Provincial Police
goes to Texas to pick up the Canadian subscriber
list from Reedy’s computer. The list contains
2329 names.
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER
2000
Thomas and Janice Reedy on trial. The Reedy's insisted
that they had done nothing wrong and argued that
since they did not publish the material they couldn't
be responsible for its content.
JANUARY 2001
Canadian police hold a meeting in Ottawa to launch
Operation Snowball in Canada. It is attended by
police forces from across Canada.
AUGUST 2001
Thomas Reedy is sentenced to 1335 years in prison.
Janice Reedy is sentenced to 14 years in prison.
JANUARY 16,
2003
Toronto police Detective Sgt. Paul Gillespie and
OPP Detective Insp. Bob Matthews hold a press conference
announcing that Operation Snowball isn’t working
in Canada. Only 5% of suspects in Canada have been
arrested. (read
a CBC.ca news story)
MAY 12, 2003
Thomas Reedy’s sentence is reduced to 180
years.
ARRESTS RESULTING FROM THE LANDSLIDE CASE
In Canada, out of 2329 names
given to police, 141 people have been arrested for
child pornography.
British police have arrested almost 1600 of 7000
subscribers, and they’ve searched over 3000.
That is more than any other police force in the
world.
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