Pubdate: Tue, 23 May 2006
Source: Tampa Tribune (FL)
Copyright: 2006 The Tribune Co.
Contact: http://www.tbo.com/news/opinion/submissionform.htm
Website: http://www.tampatrib.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/446
Author: Elaine Silvestrini
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)

PORT RICHEY MD CHARGED WITH CHILD PORN

He Was Subject Of Drug Dispensing Investigation

TAMPA - A Port Richey pain doctor was arrested Monday on federal 
charges after investigators found evidence of child pornography on 
his office and home computers, officials said.

Richard Carino was under investigation by the Drug Enforcement 
Administration on allegations of illegally dispensing drugs online 
when investigators searched his office in July, according to a 
complaint filed in U.S. District Court by FBI Special Agent Susan Bucenel.

Participating in the search was Detective Bill Davis of the Pasco 
County Sheriff's Office.

Carino's wife, Autumn, told Davis that her husband had been viewing 
child pornography on his home computer, according to the federal 
complaint. Autumn Carino showed Davis several sexually explicit 
pictures of girls ages 11 to 15 on the computer, the complaint 
states. Autumn Carino also told the detective she had seen a video in 
the computer of a young girl performing a sex act on a man, according 
to the complaint.

Investigators made copies of the hard drives of Carino's home and 
office computers. As the investigation continued, Autumn Carino 
called Davis on Aug. 25 about a domestic dispute. Autumn Carino told 
the detective she had caught her husband looking at child pornography 
on his computer, and the two fought. Deputies said they found 10.1 
grams of marijuana, rolling papers, a marijuana pipe and surgical 
clamps on Carino's nightstand, according to a sheriff's office report.

Richard Carino was arrested then on charges of possession of drug 
paraphernalia and marijuana, as well as domestic violence.

The misdemeanor possession charges were dropped in the fall and 
prosecutors agreed to allow Carino to enter a family violence 
diversion program instead of prosecuting the misdemeanor domestic 
battery charge. Under the agreement, if Carino does not successfully 
complete the program, his criminal case will be litigated. It was not 
clear Monday what his status was on that case.

According to the federal complaint, forensic investigators found 
evidence that Carino's office computer at one time contained files 
with names such as "extreme rape pedo" and "pedo porn.jpg." The 
images no longer existed in the computer when it was analyzed, the 
complaint states.

Similar evidence was found on the home computer, as well as video of 
sex acts involving children as young as 6, the complaint states. The 
home computer also contained 14 photographs described as child 
pornography, according to the federal complaint.

Reporter Lisa A. Davis contributed to this report.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman