God Talk radio host gets 7 years for child porn

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God Talk radio host gets 7 years for child porn

KGO's Ward left station when charges made public last year

Thursday, August 28, 2008

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By PAUL ELIAS
Associated Press

4:30 p.m.SAN FRANCISCO — A former San Francisco radio talk show host and Roman Catholic priest was sentenced to more than seven years in prison Thursday for distributing child pornography.

Bernie Ward, 57, frequently called the “lion of the left” for his staunchly liberal views, hosted a nightly news talk program and a program called “God Talk” on Sundays on KGO-AM 810.

The father of four was fired from the station after a federal grand jury indictment charging him with distributing child pornography was made public in December.

Ward was charged after exchanging sexually explicit instant messages with a Stanislaus County woman who used the screen name Sexfairy2005 in December 2004. The woman called the police after Ward sent her a photograph of two children engaged in a sex act.

The woman provided police with transcripts of their conversation where Ward discussed various sexual scenarios with his children, including how he was aroused when his daughter walked in the bathroom while he showered, according to court documents.

“I find it extremely troubling that a parent would say the things he wrote in those messages,” U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn Walker said before sentencing him to seven years and three months.

Federal prosecutor Steve Grocki said that dozens of pornographic images of children as young as 3 years old were found on Ward’s home computer, including masochistic images of children bound and gagged.

“He traded in the currency of children’s suffering,” Grocki said in arguing for a nine-year prison term.

Ward’s attorney, Doron Weinberg, citing the numerous letters of support Ward received after pleading guilty in May and his volunteer work, argued for a five-year prison sentence — the mandatory minimum. Weinberg said Ward initially downloaded the child porn for research as a journalist.

“It’s clear that it ended in a dark place,” Weinberg said. “Bernie Ward is a good man.”

The judge allowed Ward to turn himself into prison officials Friday.

12 comment(s)

urte wrote on Aug 28, 2008 4:56 PM:

" I guess counsel for the defense is obligated to say ..."he is a good man"...well he can join all the other "good men" in prison...good riddens...!
There is no excuse nor should there be any tolerance for child pornography... "

justnana wrote on Aug 28, 2008 6:11 PM:

" Nice...a Good Man, a Christian and a flaming Liberal - obviously not a good combination. This man is so severely troubled that he should never again be around children, not his, not anyone's.
If I had my way, he would go straight to the gallows, the sooner to make peace with his maker. "

LocalNapa wrote on Aug 28, 2008 9:15 PM:

" I know it's their job, but these attorneys look so ridiculous to me when they try to get their client's sentances reduced because they have a history of volunteer work or letters attesting to "good" character from friends. There are innocent children being greatly harmed thanks to the demand created by these sickos. Also imprisoned, our own former City Planner Bob Hanna can sit and rot with Bernie Ward as far as I am concerned. "

jmo wrote on Aug 28, 2008 9:20 PM:

" Right on!
What a hypocrite!
He was always so high and mighty and disrespectfull to his guests who were not as polished or educated as him.
I am just upset that he gets to go to such a "Country Club" setting. He should be going to San Quentin and spend time with the real big boys/men. The word will get out...I hope.

And what does Micky L and the rest of KGO have to say about Dear "Uncle Bernie"! Yikes!!! wonder if any of the childern spent time with him at the annual Christmas party etc.? Trust/hope not!!!!
Bye Bye Bernie...good riddance!!!! "

Napanee wrote on Aug 28, 2008 9:27 PM:

" The way his wife defended him tonight on the news was sick. Read the transcripts of what he said to this lady on line about his kids. Researching for a book my a__! "

Bauhausfan wrote on Aug 28, 2008 9:28 PM:

" Sounds like Bernie needed to get counseling but didn't and now he is going to prison.

What is it with Catholics, sex and children? "

knick-knack-at-thedam wrote on Aug 28, 2008 9:57 PM:

" Reading this has left me with that horrid, "brick-in-the-stomach" feeling that's difficult to shake.

I think I'll go throw-up now. "

jmo wrote on Aug 28, 2008 9:58 PM:

" What is it with the woman who are the wifes of these people and people like John Edwards the guy from Montana. Do they all drink from the same kool-aide fountain? Stay by tour man my a..!
Divorce them! "

localnapa wrote on Aug 28, 2008 10:34 PM:

" Bernie, and other convicted offenders like Napa's own Bob Hanna (see NVR December 2006 article) should be locked up for a very long time. People need to realize there are children as young as 2 years old being abused to feed these sickos habits. "

jmo wrote on Aug 28, 2008 10:52 PM:

" Sorry for my poor typing.
I was just so angry about Bernie.
I meant to say: stand by your man.... "

Ephemerol wrote on Aug 28, 2008 11:39 PM:

" As a life long recovering Catholic it's impossible 'not' to comment on this and all of the other cases of child sex abuse both within and connected to that so called 'Church' as it's far from over with. The Roman Catholic Church is an old relic of 'total control' over any human who is connected to it. If you are by accident of birth in any way condemned to a Jesuit upbringing, it's 25x worse, as Mr. Ward was. It's spiritual abuse at it's worst and one needs to spend "years" and a lifetime in recovery from all of the guilt, fear, suspicion, violence and rage that this group of people excel at enforcing over very young children at very tender ages. The priests are bitter, hostile, joylesss and deeply sexually repressed. Looking backward at my own youth, I suspect that many of them were abused sexually as children and also had their childhoods ripped from them. No one, and I mean no one, has the franchise on those saints as they belong to all of us. We need to take back our saints and our inner lives, our healthy sexuality and sensuality as well as our ability to think critically and correctly. This takes great courage and I wish Mr.Ward only the best in possibly the start of what will be a life long process of therapeutic psychological, sexual and spiritual healing. "

14obama wrote on Aug 29, 2008 9:56 AM:

" Thanks Ephemerol,I can relate to that being a Catholic myself. I always liked Bernie and wished he'd gotten help with the addiction before it came to this. We all have our shortcomings so I won't compare mine with his. Some will say his were much more serious than theirs but God says we all come short of HIS glory.
Let's not throw stones, people. Remember this ! When we point our finger at someone,there are three pointing back at us. "

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