Posted by Brendan Kirby, Staff Reporter June 26, 2008 4:55 PM
Categories: Breaking News
A federal judge today sentenced a Mobile man to 25 years in prison for possession and distribution of child pornography in a case that prosecutors said involved the rape and sodomy of a 13-year-old Chunchula girl.
Matthew Joseph Viva, 30, pleaded guilty to having more than 600 images of child pornography and sending some of them to the daughter of an acquaintance he had met on the Internet. Authorities contend Viva had sex with the girl in her own home over a period of months and recruited another girl to take part.
Out of work for four months, Viva moved to Mobile at the suggestion of the girl's father. The girl's mother testified today that she and her husband were devastated to find out that Viva had betrayed their trust and stolen their daughter's innocence.
"There is a great need to protect the public in your case," U.S. District Judge Kristi DuBose said.
Mobile County Assistant District Attorney Steve Giardini, who prosecutes child sex abuse cases in state court, said he plans to move forward with prosecution on child rape and sodomy charges. He also said he intends to ask that any prison time Viva gets if convicted be served only after his finishes the federal sentence.
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