Pentagon officials use government computers to access child porn

Major federal investigations showed that dozens of Pentagon officials and contractors have bought and downloaded child pornography using private or government computers.

The Boston Globe's Bryan Bender reported Friday that federal investigators "have identified several dozen Pentagon officials and contractors with high-level security clearances who allegedly purchased and downloaded child pornography, including an undisclosed number who used their government computers to obtain the illegal material."

The Boston Globe disclosed the results of the investigations after obtaining the documents through the Freedom of Information Act. The Defense Department released the reports, which are heavily redacted, with most names and details about each case omitted.

Several suspects were convicted and sentenced to prison terms of about five years and ordered to pay hefty fines, including one of $150,000. But several others identified by investigators were never prosecuted.

Defense workers who purchased child porn put the Department of Defense, "the military and national security at risk by compromising computer systems, military installations and security clearances," an investigative report said.