Former University of San Francisco dean accused of possessing child pornography

By Julia Cheever, Bay City News Service

November 15, 2006

SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) - Federal prosecutors announced today that a former dean of the School of Education at the University of San Francisco was charged today and agreed to plead guilty to possessing child pornography.

U.S. Attorney Kevin Ryan said William Garner, 66, was accused in charges filed in U.S. District Court in San Francisco of one count of possessing child pornography in June and July 2006.

Ryan said that in a written plea agreement, Garner admitted to possessing more than 15,000 images of child pornography obtained through the Internet.

The material included pictures of prepubescent minors and images of sadistic, masochistic or violent conduct, Ryan said.

The U.S. attorney said, "The children depicted in these images are the victims of horrible abuse, and we will vigorously prosecute individuals possessing these materials.''

Prosecutors agreed in the plea bargain to recommend a penalty of five years and three months in prison plus restitution of $50,000 payable to the San Francisco Child Abuse Prevention Center.

The plea agreement must be approved by U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker.

Garner, now a professor emeritus at the University of San Francisco, is to be arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Bernard Zimmerman on Dec. 7. A date for sentencing has not yet been set.

In addition to being a former dean of education, Garner was a co-founder in 1984 of the university's Center for Instruction and Technology, which promotes the use of computers and other technology in the classroom.

According to the USF Web site, Garner's areas of expertise also include the financing and management of education.

Kathy Baxter, division director of the San Francisco Child Abuse Council, said, "We know that child abuse is something a child may never outgrow so our work at the center is to stop it from happening.''

Baxter said, "If approved by the court, we will use these funds to continue our work in educating children, their caregivers and the community about ways to prevent abuse and continue our work in improving the systems that deal with child abuse.''

Garner's defense attorney, Jeremy Blank, declined to comment on the case.

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