A Chula Vista man who once served as a volunteer hockey coach was sentenced Sept. 19 to two years in federal prison for his guilty plea to possession of images on his computer of minors engaged in sexual activity.
Gregory Stewart Eagles, 55, owns a business in Chula Vista and remains free on $75,000 bond until he surrenders on or before Nov. 21. He is no longer affiliated with a hockey program.
U.S. District Court Judge Barry Moskowitz ordered Eagles to register as a sex offender with law enforcement after he is paroled. Eagles is required to register because of the charge, even though he was not accused of any molestation.
“He is not a bad person, but he made bad choices,” said his attorney, Elliott Kanter. “He was not looking at these images over and over.”
“I know Mr. Eagles has done amazing soul searching,” said Kanter.
Court documents allege he posed as a juvenile on the Internet and sent files containing child pornography to a man who was under investigation for the same offense in another state. The offense is a violation of interstate commerce, which is why it was prosecuted in federal court.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Helen Hong recommended the 24-month term. She said Eagles sent sexually oriented images to people he apparently didn’t know. Hong told the judge the message of prosecuting such conduct needed to go out to deter this type of behavior on the Internet.
“I’ve really traumatized my family because of my difficulties,” said Eagles to the judge.
Although Moskowitz said “he’s not going to do this again,” he said he imposed the term to deter this type of conduct.
Eagles was originally charged in Chula Vista Superior Court on Oct. 7, 2013, but that case was dismissed after he was charged Jan. 3 in U.S. District Court.
A California state search warrant was served on his residence on Sept. 30, 2013, and a thumb drive plugged into his bedroom computer was seized that contained the images. Eagles has a prior record of driving under the influence of alcohol.
