By Mark Bowes
Richmond Times Dispatch
RICHMOND, Va. — Jesse E. Overstreet Jr. has lost his job, his family, his home and now his freedom because of a fascination with child pornography.
The longtime member of Richmond’s emergency medical community who was praised for his dedication and decades of community service as a paramedic was led away to jail Tuesday after a judge sentenced him to six months behind bars.
“I’m just sorry all of this happened,” Overstreet, 52, quietly told the court.
Chesterfield County Circuit Judge Michael C. Allen noted the many letters of support Overstreet received — snippets of which were read aloud — that described his hard work and selfless commitment to helping others in an emergency medical career that spanned about 30 years.
But Allen said he couldn’t ignore Overstreet’s refusal to take full responsibility for his actions and the vile nature of some of the videos he downloaded that showed what appeared be girls as young as 10 having sex with men.
To illustrate the sordid content and young age of some of the participants, prosecutor B.J. McGee asked the judge to view one such title in his chambers. After about five minutes, Allen had seen enough and re-emerged with McGee and defense attorney Taylor Stone.
“It’s difficult to watch,” said Allen, noting the diminutive girl was likely younger than 13.
Overstreet’s undoing came on Feb. 22,after his teenage daughter discovered the titles of pornographic photos and videos that had been downloaded onto her father’s laptop.
Chesterfield police were contacted, and investigators seized Overstreet’s computer and determined he had conducted 261 searches using a term that is commonly used to find child porn.
During an early interview with police, Overstreet acknowledged downloading the images found on his computer. But he subsequently blamed his daughter’s boyfriend for some of the material, an assertion the judge dismissed.
Stone said Overstreet did not make the videos, nor was there any evidence that he swapped them with others. Stone said Overstreet has suffered enough, losing his job, his family and his home.
“He’s a very good man who made a very bad mistake,” Stone said.
Overstreet couldn’t find work after resigning his position last year with the Richmond Ambulance Authority, where he worked as a full-time dispatcher. He also was a volunteer with the Bensley-Bermuda Volunteer Rescue Squad.
State sentencing guidelines called for probation and no active prison time for Overstreet because of his previously clean record and other factors. But Allen believed some incarceration was warranted. He sentenced Overstreet to five years in prison with four years and six months suspended.
Overstreet also will be required to register as a sex offender, and the judge prohibited him from loitering within 100 feet of a school, child-care facility, playground or athletic field where children congregate.
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