The Gazette-Enterprise

SAN ANTONIO — A Guadalupe County man pleaded guilty in federal district court Tuesday to possession of child pornography.

Roger M. Freeman of Kingsbury entered the plea in the United States District Court for the Western Division of Texas in San Antonio before U.S. Magistrate Judge Pamela Mathy in connection with a case that began on Oct. 19, 2007, with a raid of his residence by investigators with the Guadalupe County Sheriff’s Office in which officials familiar with the case said a computer was recovered that contained explicit images that included underage females engaging in sexual conduct.

Terms of the agreement have not been announced, but a source familiar with the case said Freeman would spend four years in federal prison after he is sentenced early next year.

Under federal law, it is illegal to receive, send or possess pornographic images of children, including images downloaded from the Internet.

A federal grand jury handed up a two-count indictment of Freeman on May 21, 2008 on charges of receipt and possession of child pornography.

The first count lists four digital files, comprised of one video and three photos, alleging Freeman “ ... did knowingly receive in interstate and foreign commerce by any means, including a computer, a visual depiction, the production of which involved the use of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct and which visual depiction was of such content, including but not limited to the following image and video files: ... .”

The second count alleges Freeman “ ... did knowingly possess one or more matters, specifically a computer, which contained a visual depiction that had been mailed, shipped and transported in interstate and foreign commerce, and which was produced using materials which had been mailed, shipped and transported in interstate and foreign commerce ... where the production of such visual depiction involved the use of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct, and such visual depiction is of such conduct, including, but not limited to the following image files ... ” concluding with a listing of two .jpg digital photo files.

Freeman, 54, is a pilot and restorer of World War I vintage aircraft. He is the owner of the Old Kingsbury Aerodrome and founder and operator of the Pioneer Flight Museum, which displays aircraft and other vehicles from the early 20th Century.

Under terms of the agreement, Freeman will spend four years in federal prison.

Mathy took the plea agreement, ordered a pre-sentencing investigation and set Freeman’s sentencing for Jan. 21, 2010.

Freeman was represented by attorneys Brigitte Garza, Sam Lock and Mark Stevens. Garza said Mathy had sealed the terms of the plea agreement and she could not discuss it until after the sentence is imposed.

She did discuss her client, his career, his second career restoring rare aircraft and his record of public service, which includes founding the museum.

“Mr. Freeman’s a great, hard-working man,” Garza said. “He’s a very skilled individual who just made a mistake.”

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