Disney Employee Arrested on Child Pornography Charges!

[Nicole786]

I just read in today's (2/10/07) Palm Beach Post that the an employee has been arrested for Child Porn Charges.

Here is the article:

A Walt Disney World employee who dressed as the characters Goofy and Beast from "Beauty and the Beast" has been arrested on child pornography charges.

Roommates of Matthew Wendland, 20, tipped police to images in Wendland's room of children in sexual poses, according to an Orange County Sheriff's report. A search turned up a half-dozen printed computer pictures of children under 18 performing sex acts or in sexual poses and at least another 45 images on a CD, the report stated.

Wendland, who has worked for Disney since July, was arrested Thursday on 51 counts of child pornography.

No complaints have been filed against him at the park, Disney spokeswoman Kim Prunty said. He has been suspended without pay pending the outcome of the charges, she said.

Wendland was released on $8,500 bond Friday, Orange County Jail spokesman Allen Moore said. It was not known whether he had a lawyer.

Sorry if this has been posted before.

 

[fan_of_small_world]

That's awful! I'm glad the roommates spoke up and reported this.

As for screening, unless someone has a prior record, Disney would not have known ahead of time. The article did not say he had a record. Even any psychological screening that they may do (and I have no idea what, if any, they perform) would not necessarily indicate this.

 

[PoohHappens]

I agree disney had no way to know without a prior record.
Also why does the title say 2 employees, I only see info on one.

 

[Nicole786]

I agree disney had no way to know without a prior record.
Also why does the title say 2 employees, I only see info on one.

Okay well i deleted my comment about the screening. Screening wasn't the right word, but i think the 20 year old was part of the college internship program (this article is from online, the article i read was from the paper which i cant find) and since they live in the resort, and they do room walk-throughs every so often to check for drugs/alcohol, i just was saying i wish they would have done a more lengthy inspection.

The article said 2, because i misread it the first time and thought it was 2 separate characters.

 

[pixidust07]

hi my name is markie and i have a question i don't know how to post on my own do you know how? like if i just wanted to write something by myself what do i do?

please write back
thank you

 

[GalDisney]

>>and since they live in the resort, and they do room walk-throughs every so often to check for drugs/alcohol<<
From what I saw on tv news, I don't think he was part of the college program or lived in Disney housing. Apparently he was hired this past July.
Also, according to the local Orlando news, the guy admitted he had child porn, he did not try to deny it.

 

[Nicole786]

>>and since they live in the resort, and they do room walk-throughs every so often to check for drugs/alcohol<<
From what I saw on tv news, I don't think he was part of the college program or lived in Disney housing. Apparently he was hired this past July.
Also, according to the local Orlando news, the guy admitted he had child porn, he did not try to deny it.

thanks for the clarification, i must have read it wrong.

 

[Nicole786]

hi my name is markie and i have a question i don't know how to post on my own do you know how? like if i just wanted to write something by myself what do i do?

please write back
thank you

on any one of the sub-forums, at the top left click on "new thread"

 

[Cdn Friends of Pooh]

Here's another thread on the same topic:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1353240

 

[byoung]

Not good to hear stories like this one.

 

[jerseypepper]

very sad
I don't know if i will ever look at Beast or Goofy the same way again.

 

[WDW1st-timers]

Well hopefully this was only pictures that were found and not something like actual footage of him with the minors. I'm not in no means saying that the pictures are fine cause they are not. I just don't want to hear that people are coming forward saying that he was involved with their child. So sad!

 

[Ravensorrow]

Everything I'd read said that it was just photographs found and nothing that showed that he was actually involved with children (not that that makes it better) and there was no way for Disney to know since he had no prior record. They really do screen very carefully.

 

[Indianadisneyfan]

I don't think Disney did anything wrong. I know nobody's blaming them, but every time I have filled out a application it doesn't ask if you are into that kinda of. Even if it did, Do you think they would answer it "Yes I do like child porn"