A man who was a facilitator on a website which hosted “unspeakable” computer-generated child sexual abuse images has been jailed.
Warning: Some may find details in this story upsetting. Helplines are provided with the article.
Donald James Sarratt, 35, was sentenced to five-and-a-half years’ imprisonment after being found guilty of possessing objectionable material relating to children and knowingly making and/or copying objectionable material relating to the sexual exploitation of children.
A forensic examination of his electronic devices also uncovered child sexual abuse images of real children.
He was identified in the wake of Operation Dark Orchid, which began in 2022 following a referral from the Department of Homeland Security Investigations and Department of Justice Child Exploitation Unit in the US.
The website hosted over 85,000 computer generated images – 30,000 of those being realistic images depicting the graphic sexual abuse and torture of children as young as infants.
“In New Zealand, creating, possessing, or distributing material that promotes or tends to promote or support the sexual exploitation of children is punishable under the Films, Videos, Publications and Classifications Act,” Detective Sergeant Daniel Wright, who led Operation Dark Orchid for the New Zealand Police Online Child Exploitation Across New Zealand (OCEANZ) team, said.
“This investigation, involving our law enforcement colleagues from the US, demonstrates our commitment to keeping our communities safe, and that we will use all resources available to us to hold to account those who prey on the vulnerability of children both in New Zealand and abroad.”
Homeland Security Dallas Special Agent in Charge Travis Pickard said the “vast number” of images uncovered in the joint investigation was “unacceptable in any part of contemporary society”. Many featured “disturbingly realistic computer-generated representations of unspeakable child sexual abuse”.
“This sentence for the defendant reinforces our dedication to protecting the innocence of our most vulnerable populations from such abhorrent child exploitation,” he said.
Any child sexual abuse material discovered online can be reported to:
New Zealand Police: Call 105 or report online here
Department of Internal Affairs
Netsafe : Netsafe New Zealand’s online safety organisation
If there are immediate concerns for the safety of someone, call 111.