New entrapment technique questioned in Vosburgh case

By Erin Brodbeck
Collegian Editor
April 2, 2008

The case of former La Salle history professor Roderick Vosburgh, who was charged in November with possession and attempted possession of child pornography, made the news again recently because of the new technique federal investigators used to catch him. Vosburgh was caught by the FBI Feb. 27, 2007 in a Web site sting. Investigators sent him a phony hyperlink advertising a child porn site, which Vosburgh allegedly clicked on. Some critics, including Vosburgh’s lawyer, Anna Durbin, are claiming that the technique is unethical.

“I thought it was scary that they could do this,” Durbin said in an interview with News.com. “This whole idea that the FBI can put a honey pot out there to attract people is kind of sad. It seems to me that they’ve brought a lot of cases without having to stoop to this.”

A professor at George Washington University’s law school, Stephan Saltzburg, told News.com that Vosburgh is unlikely to get off. The rationale behind Saltzburg’s belief is that since Vosburgh willingly clicked on the link, and was in no way forced to pursue the site by the government, the technique is deemed ethical.

“Claims of entrapment have been made in similar cases, but usually do not get very far,” he said.

Originally, Vosburgh was charged with two counts of obstructing a federal investigation when his computer hard drive was found smashed to pieces after agents entered his apartment. He was found not guilty of one, and the other was thrown out, leaving only the charges of possessing and attempting to possess child porn.

According to News.com, prosecutors said that Vosburgh knew exactly what he was doing when he clicked the link, and wasn’t misled in any way. Although none of the images found in Vosburgh’s possession featured minors in sex acts, there were photos of pre-pubescent girls exposing their genitalia.

The larger implications of the case are that FBI agents can now send advertisements for child pornography, or even illegal narcotics, to catch potential criminals, News.com reported. This technological advance has been met with opposition from some, who claim innocent people will be misled.

brodbecke1@lasalle.edu