Police focusing on Internet predators ask for more funding

RICHMOND - Last fall, authorities investigating sex crimes used the Internet to trace child pornography activity to the computer of a Navy man in Virginia Beach.

The subsequent arrest of that service member is just one example of the impact the state’s regional Internet Crimes Against Children task forces have made with the $1.5 million appropriated to them last year, said Bedford County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Michael Harmony, a task force member.

Now, law enforcement officials who pursue the perpetrators of sex crimes against children worry that their efforts will be curtailed by a lack of continued state funding.

Money for the program was built into only the first-year of the biennial state budget.

With a projected $2.9 billion revenue shortfall in the budget this year, Gov. Timothy M. Kaine did not build additional task force money into his spending plan.

At a press conference in the state capitol Thursday, legislators, law enforcement officials and advocates urged the inclusion of $1.5 million in the budget’s second year to continue task force funding.

“There is no more productive, or immediately beneficial result that can be achieved than actually arresting, prosecuting and incarcerating a predator, who, given the chance would abuse, exploit, rape, or even kill one of our children,” said State Police Capt. Tim Evans, a task force member.

Funding for the task forces was appropriated by the legislature in 2008, done so in honor of a Pennsylvania girl who was lured to Virginia by an internet predator who sexually assaulted her.

Now, 20, Alicia Kozakiewicz was the namesake of unsuccessful legislation in 2008 that would have provided continuous funding for the task forces.

Thursday, she was critical of state leaders, including Kaine, for the lack of funding.

“It’s so disturbing,” she said. “You can see the work they’re doing. It’s saving a lot of kids.”

Kaine spokesman Gordon Hickey said the governor did not cut funding for the program and is not necessarily opposed to legislators finding more task force money in the budget.

Lobbying for task force funding, Del. Phillip Hamilton, R-Newport News, said Thursday “the Commonwealth should be able to find $1.5 million for this initiative that seeks to protect children from internet predators” in a $77 billion budget, even if $3 billion to $4 billion in cuts is needed to balance it.