Former LA City Commissioner Arrested On Possession Of Child Porn
LOS ANGELES (CBS) — A former L.A. City Commissioner has been arrested and charged with possessing and distributing child pornography.
Last year Albert Abrams told us that a tumor on his spine compelled him to do it.
We were the only reporters there Wednesday when the feds arrested him.
Sources say Abrams and his attorney had been trying to talk their way out of the arrest over the past six months.
Hoping to convince the feds that the thousands of images of child pornography they found on his computer were due to a tumor on his spine -- the same thing Abrams told us last year.
But he was arrested Wednesday and he did not want to talk about it.
"Mr. Abrams how's the tumor? Do you still maintain the tumor made you watch kiddie porn," I asked as he was being taken away by agents.
But he did not respond.
Abrams was led away by FBI agents after surrendering on charges of possessing and distributing child pornography.
"Do you remember consciously looking at the kiddie porn," I asked him last August?
"I was watching myself watching it," he said.
Last August Abrams told me exclusively that a tumor of his spine made him watch kiddie porn -- prompting his split personality to go online with the name "Boywonderusa".
"Did you go by the name of Boywonderusa," I asked.
"It was what my split personality decided to do. But that's what happens when you have tumors," he said.
Abrams was president of the L.A. Board of Neighborhood Commissioners -- appointed by the Mayor. He stepped down when we broke the news of the FBI raiding his home last year.
According to the indictment, they found pictures of children, as young as 5-years old. Sources say some of the pictures date back to the late 1990s and that could spell trouble for Abrams' tumor defense.
"When did you first realize you were watching kiddie porn," I asked him?
"Beginning in April," he replied.
He said the tumor was diagnosed a month later, which could make it difficult to explain the pictures dating back more than 10 years.
"Do you think you should pay for this with jail time?
"Oh I don't think so," he said.
"Why not?"
"Well I'm not a criminal," he answered.
But the U.S. Attorney disagrees.
If convicted on all counts Abrams faces up to 150 years in prison.
» RELATED STORY: LA City Commissioner Blames Possession Of Child Porn On His Medical Condition
