Texas airline exec found guilty in child porn case

Texas airline exec found guilty in child porn case

BROWNSVILLE, Texas (AP) — Jurors have convicted the founder of a Texas-based cargo airline on child pornography charges.

Pan American Airways founder Robert L. Hedrick was charged with five counts related to child pornography and attempted sexual exploitation of children. Jurors deliberated for less than three hours before finding him guilty today.

Prosecutors said the 61-year-old had sexually explicit online conversations with undercover officers posing as 13 and 14-year old girls. Investigators also say they found 2,400 pornographic images on three hard drives in his home.

Hedrick’s attorneys denied it was Hedrick at the keyboard and tried to use the Internet’s thin veil of anonymity to raise jurors’ doubts. They claimed Hedrick had many enemies from his business dealings and personal life who had the motivation and money to set him up.