Justin Berry
Encyclopedia
Justin Berry is an American who beginning at age 13, operated pornographic
websites featuring himself and other teen males. In 2005, at the age of 18, he cooperated in a The New York Times
feature article. Before publication, Berry was granted immunity in exchange for his help in prosecuting others involved with his sites. After the story broke, Berry was called to testify before a Congress
ional committee. He has made multiple media appearances, and now works as a paid speaker on these issues. His current Web
activities involve educating the public about Internet
safety.
reporter Kurt Eichenwald
discovered Berry via a post made by Berry to a Yahoo!
message board for his fans. Eichenwald contacted Berry anonymously on-line, telling Berry he was a songwriter (Eichenwald writes songs as a hobby) and asking to meet with him. Despite concerns that the anonymous contact might be a law enforcement
officer, Berry accepted payment of $2,000 from Eichenwald on June 8, 2005. before agreeing to the meeting.
At the meeting, Eichenwald identified himself as a reporter and explained the true nature of his interest in Berry. Although Berry continued in the Internet pornography business after their initial meeting, in subsequent meetings, Eichenwald was able to gain Berry's confidence and an entry into his world.
Eichenwald requested demonstrations of the workings of Berry's online business which Berry provided, including live conversations with subscribers. After Berry revealed the identities of children who were being exploited by adults, Eichenwald persuaded him to discontinue the business and turn his information about those minors over to the authorities.
Eichenwald completed his research and writing, and, on December 19, 2005, The New York Times published "Through His Webcam, A Boy Joins A Sordid Online World", a feature-length story
focusing on Berry's experiences as a "target" for "online pedophiles".
to discuss his story.
On April 4, 2006, Justin Berry appeared before the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
of the United States House Committee on Energy and Commerce
to give testimony on "Sexual Exploitation of Children Over the Internet: What Parents, Kids and Congress Need to Know About Child Predators." In this testimony he stated that "My experience is not as isolated as you might hope.." and went on to detail his ordeal. He expressed frustration that more was not being done to bring the perpetrators to justice, specifically those who molested him. Members of the committee said his testimony had fueled a new effort to toughen up the laws against the producers and purchasers of child pornography. They also praised his courage in stepping forward, with one Congressman going so far as to suggest that any new legislation that emerged from this new effort to combat child pornography be named "the Justin Berry Act."
, Ken Gourlay, then 23, asked him to work for his company, Chain Communications, and encouraged him to attend Camp CAEN
, a computer camp
held in the summer of 2002 at the University of Michigan
in Ann Arbor. In his testimony, Berry said that Gourlay had molested
Berry while he was still two months short of his 16th birthday (the age of consent
) while he was in Michigan attending this camp. The molestation changed him, Berry testified: "With the help of my family and my psychologist, I now understand that my molestation by Ken was a turning point that sent me on a path to self-destruction. Afterwards, Ken apologized, promising me it would never happen again. But it did." Berry and Gourlay continued their acquaintance even after Berry moved to Mexico, with Gourlay visiting him there at least once. Their acquaintanceship is confirmed by Gourlay's blog entries regarding an online conversation and a planned meeting with Berry. Gourlay was convicted in state court of several statutory counts of having sexual intercourse
with Berry and another teen while both were under 16, and was sentenced to 10 to 15 years in prison.
, giving testimony before the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee
of the United States House Committee on Energy and Commerce
. Berry and Eichenwald were interviewed on Larry King Live
by its host, Larry King
, on April 4, 2006. They were also interviewed by Katie Couric
for NBC
's morning talk show, Today. Berry also appeared on other television shows such as The Oprah Winfrey Show
with Kurt Eichenwald
and CTV
CanadaAM.
On May 9, 2006, the NBC
television series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
aired an episode called "Web" that bears similarities to Berry's story.
On October 25, 2006, Berry, and Eichenwald were interviewed by Kathleen Brooks for The Darkness to Light Show: Breaking the Conspiracy of Silence. In August 2007, Berry appeared on the Australian version of 60 Minutes. He was interviewed about sexual predator
s as part of a larger segment on the subject.
and drug abuse
, computers, current events, education, generation issues, and image/self-esteem. In July 2007, Berry created as a worldwide anti-child pornography resource.
Pornography
Pornography or porn is the explicit portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual arousal and erotic satisfaction.Pornography may use any of a variety of media, ranging from books, magazines, postcards, photos, sculpture, drawing, painting, animation, sound recording, film, video,...
websites featuring himself and other teen males. In 2005, at the age of 18, he cooperated in a The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
feature article. Before publication, Berry was granted immunity in exchange for his help in prosecuting others involved with his sites. After the story broke, Berry was called to testify before a Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
ional committee. He has made multiple media appearances, and now works as a paid speaker on these issues. His current Web
World Wide Web
The World Wide Web is a system of interlinked hypertext documents accessed via the Internet...
activities involve educating the public about Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
safety.
Eichenwald and The New York Times
In June 2005, The New York TimesThe New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
reporter Kurt Eichenwald
Kurt Eichenwald
Kurt Alexander Eichenwald , an American writer and investigative reporter formerly with The New York Times and later with Condé Nast's business magazine, Portfolio...
discovered Berry via a post made by Berry to a Yahoo!
Yahoo!
Yahoo! Inc. is an American multinational internet corporation headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, United States. The company is perhaps best known for its web portal, search engine , Yahoo! Directory, Yahoo! Mail, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Groups, Yahoo! Answers, advertising, online mapping ,...
message board for his fans. Eichenwald contacted Berry anonymously on-line, telling Berry he was a songwriter (Eichenwald writes songs as a hobby) and asking to meet with him. Despite concerns that the anonymous contact might be a law enforcement
Law enforcement agency
In North American English, a law enforcement agency is a government agency responsible for the enforcement of the laws.Outside North America, such organizations are called police services. In North America, some of these services are called police while others have other names In North American...
officer, Berry accepted payment of $2,000 from Eichenwald on June 8, 2005. before agreeing to the meeting.
At the meeting, Eichenwald identified himself as a reporter and explained the true nature of his interest in Berry. Although Berry continued in the Internet pornography business after their initial meeting, in subsequent meetings, Eichenwald was able to gain Berry's confidence and an entry into his world.
Eichenwald requested demonstrations of the workings of Berry's online business which Berry provided, including live conversations with subscribers. After Berry revealed the identities of children who were being exploited by adults, Eichenwald persuaded him to discontinue the business and turn his information about those minors over to the authorities.
Eichenwald completed his research and writing, and, on December 19, 2005, The New York Times published "Through His Webcam, A Boy Joins A Sordid Online World", a feature-length story
Feature story
- Published Features & news :While the distinction between published features and news is often clear, when approached conceptually there are few hard boundaries between the two. It is quite possible to write a feature in the style of a news story, for instance...
focusing on Berry's experiences as a "target" for "online pedophiles".
Interviews and Congressional testimony
Berry appeared with Eichenwald on the February 15, 2006 episode of The Oprah Winfrey ShowThe Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show is an American syndicated talk show hosted and produced by its namesake Oprah Winfrey. It ran nationally for 25 seasons beginning in 1986, before concluding in 2011. It is the highest-rated talk show in American television history....
to discuss his story.
United States House Energy Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
The U.S. House Energy Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations is a subcommittee within the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.-Jurisdiction:...
of the United States House Committee on Energy and Commerce
United States House Committee on Energy and Commerce
The Committee on Energy and Commerce is one of the oldest standing committees of the United States House of Representatives. Established in 1795, it has operated continuously—with various name changes and jurisdictional changes—for more than 200 years...
to give testimony on "Sexual Exploitation of Children Over the Internet: What Parents, Kids and Congress Need to Know About Child Predators." In this testimony he stated that "My experience is not as isolated as you might hope.." and went on to detail his ordeal. He expressed frustration that more was not being done to bring the perpetrators to justice, specifically those who molested him. Members of the committee said his testimony had fueled a new effort to toughen up the laws against the producers and purchasers of child pornography. They also praised his courage in stepping forward, with one Congressman going so far as to suggest that any new legislation that emerged from this new effort to combat child pornography be named "the Justin Berry Act."
Kenneth Gourlay
Berry testified that in 2001, when he was 15, a man from MichiganMichigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, Ken Gourlay, then 23, asked him to work for his company, Chain Communications, and encouraged him to attend Camp CAEN
Camp CAEN
Camp CAEN was an elite computer camp offered by the College of Engineering's Computer Aided Engineering Network at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor...
, a computer camp
Computer camp
A computer camp is a summer camp which focuses on computer instruction. These camps usually operate on college campuses during the summer months due to the availability of housing, computer labs, and dining facilities...
held in the summer of 2002 at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in Ann Arbor. In his testimony, Berry said that Gourlay had molested
Child sexual abuse
Child sexual abuse is a form of child abuse in which an adult or older adolescent uses a child for sexual stimulation. Forms of child sexual abuse include asking or pressuring a child to engage in sexual activities , indecent exposure with intent to gratify their own sexual desires or to...
Berry while he was still two months short of his 16th birthday (the age of consent
Age of consent
While the phrase age of consent typically does not appear in legal statutes, when used in relation to sexual activity, the age of consent is the minimum age at which a person is considered to be legally competent to consent to sexual acts. The European Union calls it the legal age for sexual...
) while he was in Michigan attending this camp. The molestation changed him, Berry testified: "With the help of my family and my psychologist, I now understand that my molestation by Ken was a turning point that sent me on a path to self-destruction. Afterwards, Ken apologized, promising me it would never happen again. But it did." Berry and Gourlay continued their acquaintance even after Berry moved to Mexico, with Gourlay visiting him there at least once. Their acquaintanceship is confirmed by Gourlay's blog entries regarding an online conversation and a planned meeting with Berry. Gourlay was convicted in state court of several statutory counts of having sexual intercourse
Sexual intercourse
Sexual intercourse, also known as copulation or coitus, commonly refers to the act in which a male's penis enters a female's vagina for the purposes of sexual pleasure or reproduction. The entities may be of opposite sexes, or they may be hermaphroditic, as is the case with snails...
with Berry and another teen while both were under 16, and was sentenced to 10 to 15 years in prison.
Media appearances and other references
Berry, Eichenwald and Gourlay appeared on C-SPANC-SPAN
C-SPAN , an acronym for Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network, is an American cable television network that offers coverage of federal government proceedings and other public affairs programming via its three television channels , one radio station and a group of websites that provide streaming...
, giving testimony before the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee
United States House Energy Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
The U.S. House Energy Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations is a subcommittee within the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.-Jurisdiction:...
of the United States House Committee on Energy and Commerce
United States House Committee on Energy and Commerce
The Committee on Energy and Commerce is one of the oldest standing committees of the United States House of Representatives. Established in 1795, it has operated continuously—with various name changes and jurisdictional changes—for more than 200 years...
. Berry and Eichenwald were interviewed on Larry King Live
Larry King Live
Larry King Live is an American talk show hosted by Larry King on CNN from 1985 to 2010. It was CNN's most watched and longest-running program, with over one million viewers nightly....
by its host, Larry King
Larry King
Lawrence Harvey "Larry" King is an American television and radio host whose work has been recognized with awards including two Peabodys and ten Cable ACE Awards....
, on April 4, 2006. They were also interviewed by Katie Couric
Katie Couric
Katherine Anne "Katie" Couric is an American journalist and author. She serves as Special Correspondent for ABC News, contributing to ABC World News, Nightline, 20/20, Good Morning America, This Week and primetime news specials...
for NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's morning talk show, Today. Berry also appeared on other television shows such as The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show is an American syndicated talk show hosted and produced by its namesake Oprah Winfrey. It ran nationally for 25 seasons beginning in 1986, before concluding in 2011. It is the highest-rated talk show in American television history....
with Kurt Eichenwald
Kurt Eichenwald
Kurt Alexander Eichenwald , an American writer and investigative reporter formerly with The New York Times and later with Condé Nast's business magazine, Portfolio...
and CTV
CTV television network
CTV Television Network is a Canadian English language television network and is owned by Bell Media. It is Canada's largest privately-owned network, and has consistently placed as Canada's top-rated network in total viewers and in key demographics since 2002, after several years trailing the rival...
CanadaAM.
On May 9, 2006, the NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
television series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is an American police procedural television drama series set in New York City, where it is also primarily produced...
aired an episode called "Web" that bears similarities to Berry's story.
On October 25, 2006, Berry, and Eichenwald were interviewed by Kathleen Brooks for The Darkness to Light Show: Breaking the Conspiracy of Silence. In August 2007, Berry appeared on the Australian version of 60 Minutes. He was interviewed about sexual predator
Sexual predator
The term sexual predator is used pejoratively to describe a person seen as obtaining or trying to obtain sexual contact with another person in a metaphorically "predatory" manner. Analogous to how a predator hunts down its prey, so the sexual predator is thought to "hunt" for his or her sex partners...
s as part of a larger segment on the subject.
Current activities
Starting in 2006, Berry has worked as a paid public speaker and has secured professional representation. He now speaks to various groups regarding alcoholismAlcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
and drug abuse
Drug abuse
Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse, refers to a maladaptive pattern of use of a substance that is not considered dependent. The term "drug abuse" does not exclude dependency, but is otherwise used in a similar manner in nonmedical contexts...
, computers, current events, education, generation issues, and image/self-esteem. In July 2007, Berry created as a worldwide anti-child pornography resource.
External links
- This article uses content licensed under the GFDL from deleted revisions of Wikipedia's article on Justin Berry. A list of previous authors of the page can be found at Talk:Justin Berry/Authors.