Man pleads guilty to running child sexual abuse website showing infants, children subjected to torture

An Alabama man pleaded guilty to involvement with running a website that advertised and distributed images and videos depicting child sexual abuse, the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida announced.

If convicted, 57-year-old William Michael Spearman of Madison, Alabama, faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison.

The website in question had been operating for many years, and Spearman was its lead administrator, the USAO said, making reference to court documents.

"The website included a section devoted to the sexual abuse of infants and toddlers, a section devoted to images and videos depicting children being subjected to pain and torture, and a section devoted to avoiding detection by law enforcement."

Spearman managed others involved in the website, directing "staff" on site operation, keeping records of child pornography files advertised and distributed through the site, running staff meetings, and other activities related to the website.

Spearman was arrested in November 2022 in Madison, Alabama, in an FBI raid, with the Madison Police Department assisting, WHNT reported.

The FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit, West Palm Beach Resident Agency, and Miami Field Office investigated the cases. They were assisted by various FBI field offices and resident agencies in Alabama, Nevada, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Wisconsin.

Four other defendants were convicted in the Southern District of Florida for their involvement with the website.

Selwyn David Rothenstein of Boynton Beach, Florida, was sentenced to 28 years in prison and ordered to pay $85,000 in restitution to victims. Boynton's charges included conspiracy to advertise child pornography, five counts of advertisement of child pornography, and possession of child pornography.

Gregory Malcolm Good of Silver Spring, Maryland; Robert Preston Boyles of Clarksville, Tennessee; and Matthew Branden Garrell of Raleigh, North Carolina, are charged with conspiracy to advertise child pornography and conspiracy to distribute child pornography. Good's, Boyles', and Garrell's sentencing dates are scheduled for August 22, August 15, and August 1 respectively.

Spearman pleaded guilty to engaging in a child exploitation enterprise and is slated for sentencing August 31.

Watch coverage from WHNT below of William Spearman's November 2022 arrest in Madison, Alabama.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!