"Fort Carson colonel face trial in child porn case has long military history"

2015-08-14T13:36:41-04:00

From: The Gazette

A Fort Carson colonel will face court-martial next month on allegations that he viewed child pornography on his computer while serving in Afghanistan.

Lt. Col. Patrick O'Mahoney, assigned to the 4th Infantry Division's headquarters battalion, is also charged with failing to obey orders for the 2013 incident in Afghanistan. An Army reservist who has spent 30 years in uniform, O'Mahoney was recalled to active duty to face the charges, Fort Carson said.

O'Mahoney is accused of attempting to view child pornography, viewing pornography on a government computer and using a computer to search and view child erotica and child pornography, Fort Carson said Thursday.

Court papers say during a three-week period starting in September 2013, O'Mahoney used a computer at an airbase in southwestern Afghanistan for a number of Internet searches, including some querying Russian websites, that raised red flags. Prosecutors allege O'Mahoney's searches included an online hunt for "very young teen undressed."

The disobeying orders charge comes because all U.S. troops assigned to Afghanistan are forbidden from possessing or viewing pornography under U.S. Central Command's General Order No. 1, which also forbids other activities deemed offensive in Islamic nations such as alcohol consumption.

O'Mahoney is the highest ranking officer at the post to face court-martial in a decade. He has earned the Meritorious Service Medal for work in overseas assignments, including Iraq and Afghanistan. Army records show he's spent his career in support and supply activities. His long service has moved him near the top of the Army's pay scale, with court papers showing he earns more than $8,700 per month.

That money and the retirement he's earned will be in jeopardy if convicted. In addition to wide latitude on how much jail time soldiers are adjudged, court-martial panels can also order troops dishonorably discharged and strip their pay and privileges.

http://gazette.com/fort-carson-colonel-to-face-trial-in-child-porn-case/article/1557336

Fort Carson colonel face trial in child porn case has long military history

A Fort Carson colonel will face court-martial next month on allegations that he viewed child pornography on his computer while serving in Afghanistan. Lt. Col. Patrick O'Mahoney, assigned to the 4th Infantry Division's headquarters battalion, is also charged with failing to obey orders for the 2013 incident in Afghanistan. An Army reservist who has spent 30 years in uniform, O'Mahoney was recalled to active duty to face the charges, Fort...

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 14 at 2015 1:38 PM

2015-08-14T13:38:52-04:00

Why would you look that up on a government computer when you know people are checking to see what you're viewing?!?! I don't understand people sometimes.

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Aug 14 at 2015 1:40 PM

2015-08-14T13:40:18-04:00

That's just nasty. You can never know what is going on in the mind of the person next to you.

Response by TSgt Joshua Copeland made Aug 14 at 2015 1:45 PM

2015-08-14T13:45:18-04:00

sick and stupid.....not a good combination. 30 years in uniform. That means he is likely in his 50's. How many years has he gotten away with this.

So so very sick.

Response by SSG Warren Swan made Aug 14 at 2015 1:52 PM

2015-08-14T13:52:29-04:00

Wasted his career and life over what? Damn shame.

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 14 at 2015 1:55 PM

2015-08-14T13:55:44-04:00

I hope they crush him.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 14 at 2015 2:09 PM

2015-08-14T14:09:39-04:00

If found guilty, just hope he gets the same punishment, if not more severe, that anyone else would receive. Pisses me off when higher ranking people get a lesser punishment just because of their rank.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 14 at 2015 2:16 PM

2015-08-14T14:16:57-04:00

I am a firm believer that justice system will do what it does. If he is in fact found guilty, then I hope they transfer his conviction to the civilian side and register him as a sexual predator.

Response by CSM Michael J. Uhlig made Aug 14 at 2015 3:24 PM

2015-08-14T15:24:51-04:00

It is a sick person to do this kind of thing, and I am sure it would have or will lead to the perv acting out on his compultions.

Pedophiles are sick people and should be removed from the general population...to me it is up there with rape and murder, and often worse than murder because the child victim has to live in fear for the rest of their lives! Absolutely no excuse!

Response by CMSgt Mark Schubert made Aug 14 at 2015 3:57 PM

2015-08-14T15:57:44-04:00

If he is guilty, this is really a sick individual and I hope he never gets to interact with the public ever again. I HOPE he hasn't acted worse by actually molesting a child - but unfortunately, this is where is starts.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 14 at 2015 9:04 PM

2015-08-14T21:04:10-04:00

I had a Soldier who was being watched by the FBI before deployment, then during deployment for watching child porn. As soon as we got back he was arrested. Makes me wonder if he was talking to kids and trying to set something up. Dirty bastard, I'm sure he is still in jail.

Response by LTC Mo Vanderslice made Aug 14 at 2015 9:27 PM

2015-08-14T21:27:18-04:00

'Child Porn'....arm him with a butter knife and send him on a one-way mission to kill the entire Isis organization. Death to anyone who would harm a child in this manner.

Response by COL Jeff Williams made Aug 15 at 2015 1:40 PM

2015-08-15T13:40:53-04:00

What is the question here? Not sure but I will guess he has been doing this for quite some time. Not something he has done recently. Let justice take its course

Response by SN Greg Wright made Aug 15 at 2015 7:08 PM

2015-08-15T19:08:40-04:00

Just goes to show that there's stupid at every level of life. I mean, seriously, on government, military computers?

If convicted, I hope he goes away forever. He's disgraced us all.

Response by CW3 Kevin Storm made Feb 15 at 2016 11:42 AM

2016-02-15T11:42:52-05:00

Too bad public floggings are a thing of the past.

Response by SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth made Dec 26 at 2017 6:52 AM

2017-12-26T06:52:29-05:00

Not a great career ender.

Response by SGM Erik Marquez made Dec 26 at 2017 9:47 AM

2017-12-26T09:47:47-05:00

Justice was NOT done here

Fort Carson, Sept. 24:
Name: Lt. Col. Patrick S. O'Mahoney
Conviction: By a military judge, pursuant to his plea, of violating a lawful general order. Contrary to his plea, the accused was convicted of one specification of attempting to view pornography involving a minor.
Sentence: Confined for 60 days, reprimanded.