Twenty charged with molesting children in international

WASHINGTON -- A group of parents sexually molested and photographed their own children and swapped pictures over the Internet, forming what one man called "the club," said U.S. Customs Service officials who announced charges Friday against 10 Americans and 10 Europeans.

Forty-five children were victimized, including 37 Americans ranging in age from 2 to about 14, said Customs Commissioner Robert C. Bonner.

Among the U.S. citizens charged since January are chiropractor Lloyd Alan Emmerson of Clovis, Calif., who has pleaded innocent, and eight others named in a federal indictment unsealed Friday in Fresno, Calif.

Another, Jeffrey Naimo of Killeen, Texas, has pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 20 years in prison, Bonner said.

Six residents of Denmark, Switzerland and the Netherlands also were indicted in Fresno and the Justice Department is seeking their extradition, Bonner said.

Two Englishmen and two Germans face charges in their home countries, officials said.

The other Americans facing charges include: Paul Whitmore of San Diego, who has pleaded innocent to related charges; Brooke Rowland, San Diego, who also has pleaded innocent; Tracy Reynolds, Longview, Texas; Leslie Peter Bowcut, Burley, Idaho; Michael David Harland, West Palm Beach, Fla.; Harry Eldon Tschernetzki, Spokane, Wash.; John Zill, Greeneville, S.C.; and Craig Davidson, Chanute, Kan.