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Man's Child Exploitation Trial Continues

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By TOM BRENNAN | The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 9, 2008

TAMPA - Left alone after his arrest; Charles Jackson Friedlander repeatedly shook his head, bit his nails, and made other gestures of disbelief.

"No, no," he said to himself. "I should not have done it. It was stupid."

The moment was caught on DVD and played before the jury in Friedlander's federal child exploitation trial today.

Friedlander, 78, a mental health counselor, is charged with driving from his Fort Myers home to meet an undercover Pinellas County Sheriff's detective posing as a father who was going to let Friedlander sexually and physically abuse his 10- and 11-year-old sons.

When being interviewed by the detective, Cpl. Kurt Romanosky, Friedlander said he never planned to go through with it.

He told Romanosky that he had no interest in beating the children while they were stripped, bound and stretched over a chair as he had said in an instant message chat with the detective.

"That was strictly fantasy," Friedlander said on the DVD.

Only about half of the two-hour interview was played to the jury before the trial was recessed for the night. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Kaiser will continue playing the DVD when the trial resumes Wednesday.

Romanosky said he didn't believe Friedlander's explanation. He said that the counselor wouldn't have been so specific in his descriptions if he didn't have urges to follow through.

Friedlander said he only traveled to meet with Romanosky because the detective seemed sincere.

"I had no idea what I was getting into," Friedlander said. Romanosky "seemed so interested …You did a great job."

Friedlander said he was curious about the group of parents Romanosky purported to be a member of that allowed each other to beat and have sex with their children.

"I had never heard or imagined such a group situation," he said during the interview. "I didn't understand it."

Friedlander said he was impotent and had no interest in children. He said he was more attracted to those over age 40.

"I'm not a real child-oriented person," he told Romanosky.

Friedlander had three razor strops, a riding crop, a heavy military belt and a wide strap of leather when he was arrested. In chats with the detective, Friedlander said those were what he wanted to use on the children.

Friedlander maintained he would have never actually used the devices.

"I never acted on anything," he said. "I don't have a sexual interest in anything."

Reporter Tom Brennan can be reached at (813) 259-7698 or tbrennan@tampatrib.com.

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