The former managing director of the Lone Star Film Society won’t be getting out of prison any time soon.
A district judge showed leniency during the 2011 sentencing of John Storm, but the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles wasn’t so inclined. The board recently denied Storm’s parole, and he won’t be up for another review until next year. Storm has served half of his two-year sentence after being convicted of possessing and directing child pornography last summer (“Directing a Horror,” March 28, 2012).
“After a thorough review by the panel, it was determined that due to the nature of the offense committed and other factors, he is still a threat to public safety,” a state parole board spokesperson said in an e-mail statement. No further details were provided about the board’s meeting with Storm.
The board will review Storm’s case again in April 2013 — and if he’s not paroled then, he will be out a few months later anyway: Barring an early release, he’s due to complete his sentence on June 28, 2013. Afterward, the court will monitor him for 10 years.
Monitoring Storm is important, in part because of his military intelligence background, said Assistant Tarrant County District Attorney Marty Purselley, who prosecuted the case.
“I would bet he could figure out a way to get online undetected,” Purselley said. “I’ve been doing this a while, and I’ve not seen a case quite like this or a defendant quite like him. He was very intelligent and manipulative. It’s a dangerous combination.”
In prison, Storm is housed in a dormitory-style building with dozens of other inmates and works on the field squad at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice’s Gurney Unit in East Texas.
“He works in the field — agricultural-type things, clearing weeds, plowing fields, clearing out storm drains or creeks, clearing fence lines,” said prison spokesman Jason Clark.
Inmates at the Gurney Unit arise each day at 3:30 a.m., eat breakfast, and then work until about 10 or 11. After lunch, inmates are allowed recreation time and a shower. The prison is not air-conditioned, and there is no computer access, but inmates can watch television in a community day room, Clark said.
Purselley expressed relief that Storm was denied parole. A two-year sentence isn’t punishment enough to fit the nature of Storm’s crime, he said.
“What he did was extraordinary,” the prosecutor said. “He’s going to be supervised by the court once he gets out, but every bit of time served will hopefully be a deterrent and there won’t be recidivism.’’
Storm’s imprisonment came as a shock to many who knew him, including his co-workers at the Fort Worth-based nonprofit film society. He submitted a vague resignation letter on July 1, 2011, saying he was quitting due to “family problems.” The letter asked that co-workers make no attempt to contact him. They tried anyway but couldn’t locate him.
People who know Storm described him as a highly organized and energetic go-getter. His background as a military intelligence officer prompted some people to wonder if he’d gone off on a secret assignment. Instead, as it turned out, he’d been arrested for a horrific crime, admitted guilt, allowed a judge to determine his sentence, and quietly gone to prison.
Storm’s downfall began in 2009 after he logged on to an internet chat room and watched via webcam as a Florida man sexually abused his own young daughter. Florida police arrested Michael Duane McMillan of Lake City later that year after receiving a tip that McMillan was abusing the little girl. McMillan admitted sexually abusing his 6-year-old on camera and told police that a Benbrook man using the name Davidoff1200, watching on a webcam, had directed him on how to perform the abuse.
Police confiscated McMillan’s computer and used his chat-room name — Noleboy7 — to continue corresponding with Davidoff1200. They exchanged e-mails about explicit sexual fantasies. Florida police identified Storm as Davidoff1200 and notified the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office.
Purselley, who prosecutes computer sex crimes, said he had never seen a case of child sexual abuse being directed across state lines by two adults with webcams.
Benbrook police arrested Storm at his home. DA investigators confiscated his home computer and found numerous images of child pornography. Storm admitted to possessing child porn and to directing the sexual abuse of McMillan’s daughter. He pleaded guilty and agreed to be sentenced by District Judge George Gallagher.
Gallagher said afterward the he too had never seen a similar case. He was surprised by Storm’s background — the well-groomed nonprofit official had no previous criminal convictions and an impressive military record. Gallagher handed down a 10-year sentence in July and monitored Storm’s behavior for a couple of months.
Prison officials said Storm was a model prisoner who stayed out of trouble. In December, Gallagher reduced Storm’s sentence to two years, plus 10 years of probation after he is released. The judge hoped to shock Storm with a prison stint and then give him a chance to rehabilitate himself while under 10 years of supervision.
Purselley said Storm should have served the full 10 years.
“I thought at the time there was an opportunity for a message to be sent to this guy,” Purselley said. “He was very evasive under cross-examination, and he was minimizing [his guilt]. It’s not like he came in and accepted responsibility; it was more like he was justifying his behavior. He needs something on the high end of the sentencing.”
Purselley finds some satisfaction in knowing that Storm will be monitored and undergo sex offender counseling that includes periodic polygraph testing after his release.
“It does seem to be effective,” he said. “[Storm] will go back into society, and at least we’ll have a finger on where he is.”
Storm’s ex-wife is another person who is glad that his parole was denied. She divorced him in 2005 after discovering his fondness for online sex and child pornography. She did not want her name used in this article.
“I’m glad they denied him,” she said. “He needs to serve what he deserves. He got off easy.”
Meanwhile, the Lone Star Film Society has moved forward without Storm. Co-workers said they knew nothing of Storm’s criminal activities, which occurred outside of the workplace. They continue to prepare for the 6th Annual Lone Star International Film Festival in November at Sundance Square.
Jesus Christ they need to start executing these sick fucks.
Now Jack, you heard the very smart judge tell all of the half witted populace via the media that he hoped to “shock” this young man so that he can rehabilitate his life (return to raping children) that due to this “child rapist movie director’s” 2 year joke of a sentence is SUFFICIENT for directing the rape of a 6 year old via web cam!!! Even though you also read what the investigating officer & district attorney BOTH said about his sentencing needs were but, you know all that overblown “danger to society” and “never accepted responsibility” as well as him” justifying his behavior” rubbish NEVER seems to awaken the judges that are ASLEEP AT THE GODDAMNED BENCH!!! THIS particular judge obviously thinks that a person of his status can OR EVEN should be brought back into the fold of the community until he can strike again!!! A footnote; My husband (an AMAZING man and Father) began looking for his best friend from high school recently since he had stopped responding to fb messages and such. After looking for a bit, his name popped up on a site called Dreamin’Demon. Now, being that I am an advocate for abused and neglected children, sadly, I am quite familiar with this site. My heart fell, but I thought “There must be a bajillion people with this name in the US….. then I spotted the middle name….then the (very small) town we all originally hailed from. Since no picture accompanied the article we still had hope. It was a joke, but…. Anyway I told my husband, “Try the offender site, they WILL have a picture!!” The offender site did indeed have a picture. The picture was of my husband’s friend who was closer to him than ANY brother EVER could be. Attached to the picture were the brief information about his charge(s), dates of arrival and release, etc. This boy’s Mother passed away in an accident when the guys were around 15. When that happened the Father became very lax and began giving the boys alcohol. My husband woke one night after having drank quite alot at his best friends house and found himself being touched by this subhuman. Obviously he jumped up and ran out. His best friend followed after he “woke up and heard the commotion”. He told my husband that his Father had been sexually assaulting him for years. My husband asked why the hell don’t you leave, dude? He said “If I let him keep on with me he leaves my brother and sister alone…that’s the deal” (His younger sister was mentally handicapped) That boy’s name is Michael McMillan. We are literally in mourning. He (unlike this P.O.S.) got 23 years for his part in this abomination. I have never known someone who has done these things. (Actually, now I realize that I don’t know ANYTHING about ANYONE) The end to this little saga is that the “father” that committed the acts that started this nightmare is free, alive, well and mobile. He can hurt freely and liberally. I have NO DOUBT that this whole disgusting matter began with him violating Michael for all those years and then Michael NOT getting help, instead choosing to further the disease. The question here is, when does it end? One sure answer is when judges like the joke that sentenced the animal that was “directing” this nightmare are removed from doing further damage. Michael’s sentence was off only by one issue….it was too short. The subhuman that is serving 2 years will back to business in no time. Actually it is 2014 so he already is.
how can I privately contact you
I knew him can someone from this forum contact me?
how can I Contact you
The ONLY way to change the ongoing sexual perpetration of children is to intervene with adolescents when the offend the first or second time. Generally (though certainly not always) they have been a used themselves and act out in what’s know as a repittiion compulsion but safer a 3-4 times it becomes imprinted on their sexuality and becomes very difficult (if not impossible) to change. Anyone really interested in making lasting change in this ongoing problem would support creating institutions where interventions can take place, rather than throwing millions of dollars on prisons or rehabilitation- which is largely ineffective.
The ONLY way to change this is intervene with adolescents when the offend the first or second time. Generally they have been a used themselves and act out in what’s know as a repittiion compulsion but safer a 3-4 times it becomes imprinted on their sexuality and becomes very difficult to change. Anyone really interested in making lasting change in this ongoing problem would support creating institutions where interventions can take place, rather than throwing millions of dollars on prisons or rehabilitation- which is largely ineffective.