DETROIT (AP) - An appeals court has overturned a Detroit federal judge's decision to spare a Pontiac man any prison time for possession of thousands of child pornography images on his computers.
The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati ruled Wednesday that U.S. District Judge Arthur Tarnow twice gave unreasonably light sentences to Rufus Robinson and ordered another judge resentence him.
Robinson pleaded guilty in 2009, and Tarnow gave him probation. Prosecutors appealed, and the appeals court ordered a resentencing.
Tarnow lengthened Robinson's probation but again spared him prison beyond one day served. Tarnow calls prison inappropriate for a man struggling with mental health problems.
The appeals court says the second sentence also is unreasonably light and questions if Tarnow can "confront the gravity" of Robinson's conduct.
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Online:
Decision: http://1.usa.gov/1BmECtF.
Published: Fri, Feb 20, 2015
