Former Musician Gets 16 Years on Child Porn Charges

Originally published by The Associated Press, October 24, 2003

INDIANAPOLIS — A musician who eluded authorities on three continents for more than a year was sentenced Friday to more than 16 years in federal prison for possessing child pornography.

Eric Franklin Rosser, a former Bloomington resident who was on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted List, pleaded guilty to child pornography and international conspiracy charges in July.

He confessed to producing a sexually explicit video with a preteen Thai girl and trading it for pornography involving two young girls from Bloomington.

Judge John Tinder sentenced Rosser to more than 16 years for five felony counts involving child pornography.

Before he was sentenced, the former keyboardist for rocker John Mellencamp told the court, "I am an addict of viewing the images of children. I committed acts for which I'm deeply ashamed and will haunt me for the rest of my life."

The material shows Rosser engaged in sexually explicit conduct with at least one of the girls, who were between ages 9 and 11 at the time, according to court documents.

Rosser's defense attorney, Denny Zahn, said his client takes full responsibility for his actions.

"I believe he's very sincere in his hope to get help," Zahn said.

Rosser, who ran a music school in Bangkok, has been held in the Marion County Jail since he was extradited from Thailand to the United States in August 2002.

Rosser, 51, was arrested in February 2000 in Thailand on various charges, including lewd behavior and possessing child pornography. But he jumped bail and disappeared. A federal grand jury in Indianapolis indicted him in March 2000.

Thai police said Rosser underwent liposuction, had cosmetic surgery to his face and then traveled to the Netherlands, England and France before returning to Thailand, where he was arrested again in August 2001. He served time for the charges against him in Thailand before he was returned to the U.S.