What Steps Can the District Take?

LOS ANGELES -- What would you do if you discovered someone was videotaping your child in a suggestive manner in a public place and then selling that tape on the Internet?Images | VideoChannel 4 News investigative reporter Ana Garcia has uncovered an operation that targeted high school cheerleaders without their knowledge.ANA GARCIA: He goes unnoticed sitting in the stands with a video camera among the family and friends of the local high school football team, the band and the cheerleaders.But he, or maybe she, is taping just one thing: the cheerleaders -- focusing on their mouths, breasts and crotches, freezing shots under their skirts, during kicks or splits. Tapes sold on Ebay as "hot cheerleader videos" going for upwards of $70 each.CHRISTINE THOMPSON, CHEERLEADER: I think it's sick.ANA GARCIA: The Thompson family of Oxnard is seeing it for the first time. You can feel the discomfort in the room and see it on their faces because for the first time they're seeing their child through the eyes of someone else.BETH THOMPSON, MOTHER: I don't want that out on the Internet. This is really upsetting to see.ANA GARCIA: Christine is a varsity cheerleader at Rio Mesa High School.CHRISTINE: I think it's embarrassing. They can see your face and if they wanted to find me it's not that hard.ANA GARCIA: They, would be the 600-plus "happy buyers" who have left "positive feedback" for the seller, "cheer*girls." The tape we have is one of 20 advertised. This one features cheerleaders from schools in and around Santa Barbara, Rio Mesa, Dos Pueblos, Bishop Garcia Diego and Carpinteria.SUPERINTENDENT PAUL CORDERRO, CARPINTERIA SCHOOL DISTRICT: This is the first this has been brought to my attention.ANA GARCIA: Paul Corderro is the superintendent of the Carpinteria School District. The district's Warriors are prominently featured.PAUL CORDERRO: This is obviously exploitative and I would consider it predatory.ANA GARCIA: We asked Los Angeles sex crimes prosecutor Deborah Sanchez to examine the tape.(ADDRESSING PROSECUTOR DEBORAH SANCHEZ): Do you think that this tape crosses the line?DEBORAH SANCHEZ: I would consider this tape in the category of child erotica or child pornography.ANA GARCIA: But Sanchez cautions.DEBORAH SANCHEZ: Now, whether or not there would be enough evidence or could we prove that case beyond a reasonable doubt is another standard.ANA GARCIA: When the seller discovered a producer from Channel 4 News placed the winning bid and paid for the video, the seller posted this: "don't trust this Hollywood producer type," and refused to send us the tape. We eventually obtained one.We traced return address on the videotape's shipping box led us to this post office in Goleta, not far from where the girls live and go to school. The seller, according to this e-mail from Cheer*girls is Kathleen Arredondo. But the return address and PO Box is listed as Eric Arredondo, who we found at this home in Goleta. That's where we turned the cameras on him. We saw him carrying shipping boxes like the one sent to us. Then our cameras followed him to this post office where we saw another similar looking box being mailed to Arkansas. But it wasn't until Cheer*girls sent us this email that we were sure of a link.CHEER*GIRLS E-MAIL: I can do a way better job of filming someone without them knowing. I spotted him right away in the Post Office. He's lucky I didn't call the cops.ANA GARCIA: That's the last time we heard from Eric Arredondo. We tried phoning, writing and paid him a visit, but there was no sign of him.BETH THOMPSON: I certainly hope law enforcement takes care of it.ANA GARCIA: So we asked the Santa Barbara Sheriff's office to look at the tape. After watching for two hours ...SGT. ERICK RANEY, SANTA BARBARA SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT: People may have their own opinions about it and whether they like it or not. From a law enforcement standpoint there's nothing that breaks any threshold on crimes.ROBERT THOMPSON, FATHER: Why can't they do anything?ANA GARCIA: Robert Thompson is worried about what someone who bought the tape might do.ROBERT THOMPSON: Are they going to try to make contact with my daughter, her friends?ANA GARCIA: That's exactly what Marc Klass is worried about. He became an advocate for children's safety after his daughter, Polly, was kidnapped and murdered by a child sex predator more than 10 years ago in Northern California.MARC KLASS: You can easily find out what school these kids are going to and it's a short step from there to identify the individuals themselves and then working out whatever fantasies one might have concerning cheerleaders.ANA GARCIA: If the sheriff won't investigate, Rio Mesa High says they are "exploring all legal avenues possible to protect our students and put an end to this illegal activity."CHRISTINE THOMPSON: I won't feel comfortable going out on the football field with my uniform again. You have no clue who is watching you and for what reason.ANA GARCIA: And that leaves this family with very little to cheer about.Ebay says they expect members to follow the law in all transactions including these. If criminal activity is suspected, Ebay provides law enforcement with the information needed to launch an investigation.

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