Worst Hiding Spot Ever – You’ve Been Warned!
▼ Summary
– David Bartels was sentenced to five years in federal prison for possessing child pornography while working as a military contractor in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
– Bartels used technical tools like TOR, Discord, and encrypted storage but employed poor security practices, such as using PayPal for illegal purchases.
– He stored illegal material in an obvious folder hierarchy on an external hard drive, making it easy for authorities to identify.
– Bartels was caught after law enforcement traced child pornography sent to him by another individual who had been apprehended.
– The case highlights the unusual charge related to his overseas military employment and his mix of technical knowledge with poor operational security.
When it comes to hiding illegal activities, some choices defy logic. A recent case involving a Michigan man demonstrates how poor decisions can lead to swift consequences, despite attempts at concealment. David Bartels received a five-year federal prison sentence after being convicted of possessing child pornography while employed overseas as a military contractor at Guantanamo Bay Naval Station.
Bartels employed several digital tools in an attempt to mask his activities, including the TOR browser, a method used by fewer than 13% of individuals charged with similar crimes. His technical setup included encrypted messaging apps like Discord and Telegram, along with multiple storage devices such as external hard drives, laptops, and tablets. Yet despite these measures, critical oversights made his activities alarmingly easy to trace.
One glaring mistake was using PayPal to purchase illegal material, leaving a clear financial trail. Even more baffling was his storage method, a Western Digital hard drive containing folders with names like “/NSFW/Nope/Don’t open/You were Warned/Deeper/.” Such obvious labeling hardly qualifies as discretion.
Law enforcement ultimately tracked Bartels after intercepting another individual involved in distributing illicit content. Authorities identified him as a recipient, leading to his arrest in early 2023. The case serves as a stark reminder that no amount of basic tech knowledge can compensate for reckless behavior. Poor operational security, combined with incriminating digital breadcrumbs, ensured his downfall.
(Source: Ars Technica)
