Largest-ever US paedophile business broken

One hundred subscribers to child pornography websites have been arrested in a US undercover investigation.

One hundred subscribers to child pornography websites have been arrested in a US undercover investigation.

The authorities say it is the largest commercial child porn business ever uncovered in the United States.

It was run by husband and wife Mr Thomas and Ms Janice Reedy from Forth Worth in Texas. They have been sentenced to 1000 and 14 years in prison, respectively.

Police hope that some of those arrested will help identify child victims in exchange for leniency.

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The two-year-old Operation Avalanche investigation, led by the US Postal Inspection Service, began with Landslide Productions, a Fort Worth, Texas, Internet company that provided users who paid a monthly fee with links to child pornography websites.

Subscribers worldwide could also place or respond to classified and personal ads for child pornography.

The network was broken after federal undercover agents took over the Landslide website and contacted its users. When subscribers ordered child pornography delivered to their homes, agents moved in with search warrants.

The website had about 250,000 subscribers, many from overseas.