FBI’s most wanted: Child porn suspect fills Bin Laden’s spot

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Published time: April 11, 2012 15:34
Edited time: April 11, 2012 22:18

Slain al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden has been bumped off the FBI’s most wanted list close to a year after his death. Now the world’s number one terrorist has been replaced by an alleged child pornographer.

­ Eric Justin Toth is the latest fugitive to be placed on the Fed’s Ten Most Wanted list and has been on the run since 2008.

Toth was indicted after authorities found pornographic images on a camera in his possession at the private school where he formally worked. He has also been accused of transporting video depicting child pornography across state lines.

Since the indictment is sealed, it is unknown just how many children might have been abused.  
Although the FBI doesn’t view Toth and bin Laden as criminal peers, the desire to get him off the street remains the same.

"There is no comparison to be made between Toth and bin Laden," FBI Supervisory Special Agent Jacqueline Maguire told CNN. "Although Eric Toth has not murdered anyone and he is not an international terrorist, that does not mean he isn't dangerous."

Toth, who uses the alias David Bussone, has been described by the FBI as a savvy social network user and computer expert.

He is the 495th person to be placed on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list since it was established over 60 years ago.  The agency says 465 of those individuals were eventually captured or located.

The agency has offered a $100,000 reward for any information leading directly to Toth’s arrest. If convicted, he faces up to 30 years in prison.

Osama bin Laden was put on the list in 1999 after being indicted for capital crimes following the US embassy bombings in Tanzania and Kenya.

Although he evaded capture for years, bin Laden was ultimately killed by US Navy SEALs during a raid on his home in Abbottabad in Pakistan last May.

Bin Laden was allegedly buried at sea less than 24 hours after his death.  But the fact that  no photo or video footage was released to prove he was really dead has generated widespread speculation.

While leaked emails from the intelligence firm Stratfor argued Bin Laden’s body was secretly flown to the US, a former CIA agent claimed he actually died in 2006 of disease.