Two Strongsville men have been indicted on child pornography charges following a seven-month investigation by the the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.
Bruce Mazur, 63, of Greenbrier Drive, and Patrick Ziska, 22, were among 20 adults and one juvenile indicted as part of “Operation Rise and Shine.”
Mazur's house on Greenbrier Drive was raided by ICAC agents on July 11. Neighbors said agents carried out computers and boxes.
Ziska was previously indicted by a federal grand jury in March for distributing and possessing child pornography following an investigation by the FBI.
In that case, Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, said Ziska was charged with distributing images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct and possessing child pornography between Nov. 26, 2008 and Feb. 25, 2009.
Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Timothy J. McGinty said Operation Rise and Shine targeted traders of child pornography across the state.
Using new technology, detectives identified IP addresses being used to trade and download child pornography pictures and videos.
Between March and October, law enforcement officers from 21 agencies executed 31 search warrants on homes in 19 communities throughout Cuyahoga County.
Officers seized 2,455 items like computers, external hard drives, thumb drives, CDs and DVDs. An additional 76 cases were referred to 57 other law enforcement agencies in Ohio and one in Michigan.
The indictments include:
Michael Kleinschmidt, 51, of Cleveland, who was charged in a 103 count indictment that includes downloading, trading, and possessing child pornography. Kleinschmidt was previously indicted and pleaded guilty in December 1992, to one count of unlawful possession of a dangerous ordnance and four counts of disseminating matter harmful to juveniles. He was sentenced in January 1993 to 1-1/2 years in prison.
Walter Jacobsen, 46, of North Olmsted, was charged in a 24-count indictment that includes downloading, trading, and possessing child pornography. He is an employee of the Positive Education Program (PEP) which is designed to provide a safe and nurturing environment for children. Jacobsen continues to deny purposefully downloading child pornography and is currently on administrative leave from PEP.
Robert Holpuch, 57, of Valley View, a volleyball official for the Ohio High School Athletic Association, was charged in a four count indictment that includes attempted rape, attempted kidnapping, attempted compelling prostitution and possessing criminal tools. On October 29, 2012, undercover ICAC investigators posted an advertisement on the Internet. Holpuch immediately responded to the ad by e-mail. After additional conversation via e-mail and text, Holpuch agreed to pay $100 to the undercover investigator to engage in sexual activity with a 12-year-old girl.
The following adult defendants were indicted in the operation:
David Chmielewski, 45, of Bay Village
Jason Duhamel, 28, of Cleveland
Peter Hale, Jr., 56, of Cleveland
Clayton Holler, Jr., 30, of Parma
Robert Holpuch, 57, of Valley View
Robert Humphrey, 64, of Shaker Heights
Walter Jacobsen, 46, of North Olmsted
Michael Kleinschmidt, 51, of Cleveland
Maher Lababidi, 33, of Lakewood
Bruce Mazur, 63, of Strongsville
Keith Marks, 56, of Cleveland
Erik Miller, 29, of Seven Hills
Robert Palmerio, 72, of Lyndhurst
Jared Recob, 24, of Cleveland
Gregory Ross, 49, of Parma
John Snider, 68, of Lakewood
Alpher Torres, 38, of Cleveland
Chad Wain, 29, of Berea
Ronald Waynerka, 55, of Parma
Patrick Ziska, 22, of Strongsville
Here's that Patch July article: http://strongsville.patch.com/articles/agents-confiscate-computers-from-greenbrier-drive-home#photo-10630551
I guess they'd rather have someone living among them who is involved in kiddie porn than having someone ride by on their bicycle to get to the bike path.
anyone's home and this is "not" something that anyone would have guessed was going on in their home. So don't jump to conclusions because you don't even know what is going on on your street.
You miss the point entirely. There was so much outrage over someone riding there bike down your street to get to the bike path. Yet not one comment, NOT ONE, condemning this man's activities. Something really wrong with that. If I had someone living on my street involved in kiddie porn, I certainly would put that as a higher threat to my family and home than a few bike riders going down a public street.
you are upset that one person on that street is upset about the bike path? i gaurentee that at least one of your neighbors does not like neighborhood kids skateboarding too close to their lawn or something along those lines. do not blame the neighbors of this man for something he did in the privacy of his own home. i doubt he ever came outside and told anyone the things he did inside. if you live in strongsville and have been down this street to know about the bike path then why didn't you know that he looked at this? you are putting blame onto neighbors for not noticing something that was never put in the open to notice...think before you assume that every life is in the open
I don't expect them to know what each person does behind their closed doors - but once we all are made aware of it, isn't it strange that those living there felt so violated by an innocent bike rider and have make it known on the Patch and on the street, yet NOT ONE WORD against this disgusting action by this man. Sort of out of whack. That does speak to a persons character!
Recently I've noticed that the comments have been directed to the poster rather than commenting on the subject matter - childish. I guess if you have nothing else...
person.
JG 6:42 pm on Tuesday, June 5, 2012 My mistake, Some neighbors and I spoke to Patty.
Don't you you get it yet? Sorry, but I feel like I'm hitting my head against a wall. People complain about others on a bicycle, but don't say one negative word about this guy. Has nothing to do with the crime. Again - it is not about the crime. It has only to do with what seems to outrage residents enough to comment on the Patch. They express outrage over someone peddling a bike down their street, but no outrage over a guy involved in kiddie porn. Which subject would you be more upset with? It appears through their silence that they don't mind that their neighbor did these things, because they certainly will comment about an innocent bike rider.
And, yet, even you haven't even said anything negative about this man's behavior. Rather, you are defending this bike thing - how many cared. How about something like: "I'm glad they caught this pervert." "How terrible that this kind of person was living so near us" Or, express concern over what threats this man may have been to kids in the area? It would be nice to read at least one person living there to say something against this man since a few took the time to bash the bike riders - which activity is worse? Again, Its not about the crime - its about the reaction.
But that's besides the point. everyone on the street seems to be condoning his behavior from what I've heard.