By PAUL ANDERSON
SANTA ANA — A former Anaheim elementary school teacher and high school wrestling coach was sentenced Monday to two years in federal prison for possessing child pornography.
Richard O’Connor, 45, of Anaheim, pleaded guilty May 15 to a count of possession of child pornography.
O’Connor’s attorney, Josef Sadat, argued for no prison time while prosecutors and probation officials recommended five years behind bars.
U.S. District Judge David O. Carter noted support O’Connor received in letters as well as the defendant’s “virtuous” life outside of the crimes. O’Connor had about two dozen supporters in court Monday.
Sadat detailed O’Connor’s difficult upbringing to explain why the teacher joined a social media group displaying child pornography. Sadat said his client was molested as a 9-year-old and that his mother was at times neglectful and his father would leave pornographic magazines around the house. As a result, O’Connor grew addicted to adult pornography, his attorney said.
Sadat said two experts concluded O’Connor was not a pedophile and was a low risk to re-offend. O’Connor was also “extremely cooperative and forthcoming” with authorities since his arrest, Sadat said.
O’Connor tearfully recounted how his life changed when he and his wife were finally able to conceive a child two years ago.
O’Connor started teaching when he was 23, he said.
“So my whole adult life I was someone else’s parent,” he said. “I liked being a father figure.”
O’Connor said after his arrest he started seeing a therapist who helped him talk about childhood trauma that he had suppressed.
“Since April I’ve been away from my family,” he said, adding he is working in the restaurant industry in the Big Bear area.
“I still want to help people,” even though he now is prohibited from teaching or aiding kids, he said. He also wants to continue to be a presence in his toddler son’s life.
“I know it’s going to…
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