AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy –
A military judge found Master Sgt. Christopher W. Cluff, 31st Civil Engineer Squadron, Aviano Air Base, Italy, guilty of all charges and specifications on February 17, 2016 during a general courts-martial and sentenced him to 25 years confinement, reduction to the grade of E-1, total forfeitures, and a dishonorable discharge for viewing, possessing, and producing child pornography.
Cluff was arrested in April 2015 by Italian law enforcement agents from the Polizia Postale. During a search of Cluff's Sacile residence, agents found digital media that upon initial review, revealed thousands of child pornography images and videos.
Following notification of the arrest, the 31st Fighter Wing Legal Office took steps to request jurisdiction from the Italian government.
"I am very grateful to Dr. Dario Grohmann, Trieste Prosecutor General, for trusting our team to handle this case given its grave nature," said Brig. Gen. Barre Seguin, 31st Fighter Wing commander. "Our legal team, led by Dr. Sonia Posocco, did an exceptional job coordinating Italian law enforcement support which was essential to this case going to trial."
During the findings portion of the trial, prosecutors called James Parsons, Defense Computer Forensic Laboratory computer forensic examiner. During forensic review of Cluff's digital media, Parsons uncovered numerous child pornography videos that Cluff produced himself. Arguments by Capt. Rachel Lyons, senior prosecutor, convinced the judge of this beyond a reasonable doubt.
In addition to support the viewing and possessing specifications, prosecutors offered 3,781 images and 138 video files of child pornography for the military judge's consideration, which were found on Cluff's external hard drive.
For sentencing, prosecutors called 11 law enforcement agents to the stand. These agents worked the criminal investigations associated with victims identified in the child pornography files in Cluff's possession. The agents traveled from the United States and the United Kingdom to be present for trial at Aviano Air Base. Staff Sgt. Jason B. Murphy, 31st Fighter Wing paralegal, located these agents by coordinating with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
"The images and videos offered during trial are only a small sampling of what Cluff was actually in possession of when apprehended by Italian authorities," said Capt. Brian Hanley, 31st Fighter Wing prosecuting attorney.
During his review, Parsons found at least 70,000 files of child pornography.
"This is the worst child pornography case I have ever encountered," Parsons said. "In my nearly 20 years of service in the JAG Corps, I've never seen such an effective sentencing case. These law enforcement agents were absolutely essential and we wouldn't have had any of them without Staff Sgt. Murphy's dedication and commitment to excellence," said Lt. Col. Chad Carter, 31st Fighter Wing staff judge advocate.
Cluff's sentence will be served at United States Penitentiary, Leavenworth in Leavenworth, Kansas.