tion concerning the case to come forward immediately.

Customs investigators have established a hotline to enable victims and others with information to leave confidential messages. The number is (619) 744-7366. Agents want to contact local victims as soon as possible to identify the totality of local victims and to assist them in obtaining any counseling services they require.

Paul Blazevich, 39, a self-employed real estate developer and part time martial arts instructor, was indicted on February 17 by a San Diego federal grand jury on 37 counts of international transportation and possession of child pornography over the Internet.

Blazevich surrendered to federal authorities on February 18 and was arraigned before Magistrate Judge John A. Houston.

Judge Houston found that Blazevich constituted a danger to the community and ordered that he be held in custody without bail. In making that determination, Judge Houston found that Blazevich had stored on his personal computer thousands of images and movies depicting children under the age of 18 engaged in sexually explicit conduct, approximately half involving prepubescent children.

Judge Houston also voiced concern about photographs and computer images in Blazevich's possession that depicted individuals who were nude and appeared to be unconscious.

A team of Customs special agents trained in computer forensics examined the computers following the serving of a search and seizure warrant on Blazevich's National City home on September 1, 1998. Agents recovered approximately 33,000 pornographic images and movies involving children engaged in sexually explicit activities.

Under federal law, it is illegal to produce, transmit, possess or sell images of children engaged in such acts, either in print or electronic forms.

If tried and convicted, Blazevich faces the possibility of 15 years in federal prison for the transmitting of the pornographic images over the Internet and five years for the possession of the child pornography.

The San Diego investigation is part of an international effort coordinated by the U.S. Customs CyberSmuggling Center in Sterling, Virginia, along with Customs field offices in 22 states and police agencies in 14 countries.

TV NEWS EDITORS: File video of the original National City search and seizure warrant being served is available by calling 557-5772. A representative of the Office of Investigations, 185 W. F Street, is available for comment/interview today (Feb. 26th) until 4 p.m.


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Report Drug Smuggling to 1-800-BE-ALERT


Contact: Vince Bond @ (619) 557-5772.