LOS ANGELES – A federal judge on Monday sentenced a man, who had been convicted of raping a 14-year-old girl, to life in prison for producing child porn in the Philippines, officials said.
A jury found Stanley Dan Reczko III, 50, who resided in the Koreatown District of Los Angeles, guilty in February of producing pornography while being required to register as a sex offender.
“This defendant has a life-long history of violent behavior,” said Acting United States Attorney Stephanie Yonekura. “He has received treatment and counseling, but in light of this case, the help offered to him appears to have had no effect. Even though he has previously served prison time for the rape of a minor, this punishment did not deter his behavior. In light of his recidivism, the life prison sentence is richly deserved.”
Authorities began investigating Reczko in May 2007 after the minor victim gave a CD containing child pornography to the International Justice Mission, a non-governmental organization working in the Philippines.
The Justice Mission turned over the CD, along with other evidence, to law enforcement officers working out of the U.S. Embassy in Manila, officials stated.
The evidence showed that Reczko had used the minor to produce eight series of child pornography, which included images of him and the victim engaging in sexual intercourse, officials said.
Reczko has been in custody since he was arrested after returning to the United States from the Philippines in 2007, authorities stated.
“This sentence should serve as a warning to sexual predators who mistakenly believe they can escape justice by exploiting children overseas,” said Mark Selby, deputy special agent in charge for Homeland Security of Los Angeles. “There can be no place for the abuse of foreign children by our citizens, and HSI will seek to vindicate the rights of those victims no matter how far they live from our shores. Fortunately, the sentence imposed today virtually assures that no additional children will be harmed by this defendant.”