By By John Wallace
Staff Writer
An alleged child pornographer from East Brewton was on his way home from a Mobile prison Tuesday afternoon after being placed under house arrest.
Dressed in an orange inmate jumpsuit and wearing shackles on his wrists and ankles, Gordon Harrison Murray entered U.S. Magistrate Judge William Steele's federal courtroom and sat beside his attorney, Robert "Cowboy Bob" Clark at the defendant's table for a 2 p.m. detention hearing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney General Richard Moore addressed Judge Steele and made a request that Murray be placed under house arrest until the time of his trial for allegedly reproducing child pornography for distribution.
Clark told the magistrate that he had no objections to the prosecution's request which states that the defendant shall report to the Pretrial Services Office, remain at his residence located at 114 Duncan Street in East Brewton, avoid all contact with any minor under the age of 18 years, be subject to 24-hour home confinement, be placed under electronic monitoring and have no access to computer equipment.
Judge Steele said he understood that Murray was a long-time resident of the East Brewton community and did not see him as a "risk of flight."
Moore said one reason the prosecution is requesting a house arrest is because there is no evidence of the defendant acting in a violent manner.
He then instructed the defendant to read through the conditions for his release and if he understood them to sign the document.
After a brief conference with his attorney Murray signed the document.
He was scheduled to return to the Mobile prison where he has been held the since Friday when his release would be processed.
Murray is charged with reproducing child pornography for distribution, according to the FBI.
Title 18 U.S. Code Section 2252A (a) (3) reads "Certain activities relating to material constituting or containing child pornography (a) any person who – (3) knowingly reproduces any child pornography for distribution through the mails, or in interstate or foreign commerce by any means, including by computer."
Due to Murray's occupation, this case has been given the highest investigative priority and attention by the FBI and the United States Postal Inspectors, according to the FBI.