Judge calls pornography a “cancer on society” during sentencing
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IDAHO FALLS — A man who was found with over 100 images and videos of child pornography was sentenced on Wednesday.
Mathew Mobley, 44, will serve 10 years in prison with two and a half years fixed and seven and a half indeterminate. Mobley is still facing one misdemeanor charge of second-degree stalking and one misdemeanor charge of using a telephone to harass or threaten someone.
Mobley was originally charged with five counts of felony sexual exploitation of a child by possessing exploitative materials. As part of a plea agreement, he pleaded guilty to counts one and two and counts three through five were dismissed.
This is Mobley’s sixth felony conviction. He is also facing felony drug charges in Bingham County.
“The most concerning, actually, to me is that this is going to be a blemish on my family name forever,” Mobley said in his statements on Wednesday. “I am as much of a drug addict as needing help with sex-offender treatment.”
District Judge Jon Shindurling said studies have shown that pornography triggers the same sections of the brain that heroin does.
“Pornography is a cancer on society,” Shindurling said talking about pornography in general. “You cannot be a regular viewer of pornography without it causing a significant disturbance in your life.”
He said he understood why Mobley turned to pornography because of his addiction, depression and loneliness.
“But it’s not the answer,” Shindurling said. “The other problem is that once you get into that, there’s not a clear line between pornography of adult figures and children. It’s easy to drift that way and then you are in deep water.”
Mobley was taken into custody on Sept. 9. When told he was arrested for possession of child pornography, he claimed he had never downloaded anything onto his computer. He told police he had traded something for the computer and that the previous owner must have put the images on it but he refused to divulge the person’s name.
As for the second-degree stalking and telephone harassment charges, Mobley is accused of sending threatening text messages to his ex-girlfriend.
“I see you. Haha, Look around can you see me? No, of course not, I’m right here. You should probably call the cops. I sure they could help…Nothing you can do either. No one can, you have done it and it’s my turn now. Rot in hell you piece of s—. Game over…,” the messages read.
Mobley reportedly told police he had other people watching his ex-girlfriend so he would know where she was at all times.
He is scheduled to appear in court regarding the stalking charge on Aug. 1 for a pretrial conference.