Man gets 17 years for role in child-porn ring

A former Spokane man, Ruble Keys, was sentenced Tuesday to 17 years in federal prison for his role in what authorities described as a global child pornography trafficking enterprise. The Internet-based operation, using sophisticated encryption and pseudonyms at large, file-sharing newsgroup sites, involved the distribution of more than 400,000 images and 1,000 video of prepubescent children, including toddlers, engaged in various sexual and sadistic acts, authorities said. Keys, 56, pleaded guilty last May to four counts – engaging in a child exploitation enterprise, conspiracy, advertising child pornography and receiving child porn. Under terms of a plea bargain, he agreed to testify against seven other defendants who took their cases to trial in Pensacola, Fla., and were convicted in January. One of those convicted defendants was Warren King Mumpower, of Spokane. He is scheduled to be sentenced April 14. Even after providing “substantial assistance” as a prosecution witness, Keys was sentenced to 204 months in prison by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Lacey A. Collier.