Defense officials investigated for child porn

Defense officials investigated for child porn

By the CNN Wire Staff
July 23, 2010 -- Updated 1704 GMT (0104 HKT)

Washington (CNN) -- The U.S. Department of Defense has investigated several dozen of its current, former and contracted employees who are suspected of accessing and purchasing child pornography, government documents showed Friday.

Several of the workers identified in a series of reports released by the Department of Defense were listed as having top secret or higher security clearance. Some of the employees included in the investigation had used their work computers to access pornographic websites.

"Child pornography is illegal and subscribers of commercial child pornography that are associated with the DoD put the DoD, the military and national security at risk by compromising computer systems, military installations and security clearances to name a few," read one report from the Defense Criminal Investigative Service dated October 2008.

The report continued: "Additionally, it puts the DoD at risk of blackmail, bribery, and threats, especially since these individuals typically have access to military installations."

Gary Comoford, a Department of Defense inspector general official, declined to comment on the cases.

News of the investigations, which span several years, was reported by the Boston Globe on Friday.