Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Timothy L. Lantz - Repeat Sex Offender - WANTED

COLUMBUS, Ohio - A west side man was charged on Monday with 10 federal counts involving child pornography.

Timothy L. Lantz, a registered sexual offender, faces charges ranging from transportation of child pornography to advertising visual depictions, 10TV's Tanisha Mallett reported.

Lantz, 55 (pictured, right), remained elusive to authorities as of Monday evening.

According to the FBI, Lantz was found through an Internet-based child pornography ring. Agents monitored several chat rooms to find people who were advertising that they had child pornography and found Lantz.

More than 3,000 movies and images of children engaged in pornography were found on Lantz's computer, Mallett reported.

Investigators said they were working to identify who the children were in each of the photos found on the computer.

Lantz's neighbors, who are aware he is a registered sex offender, told Mallett that they hope authorities find him but keep him from returning to their neighborhood.

"I understand that people commit a crime and deserve a second chance, but when you keep hurting little kids - it's not right," said Martha Burgan, who lives near Lantz.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office said that agents have an idea about where Lantz might be hiding.

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