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Former Richmond Tennis Coach to Serve 5 years on Child Porn Charges

Steven Gerstenfeld, a former University of Richmond men's tennis coach, was sentenced to 60 months in prison yesterday for attempted receipt of child pornography. Gerstenfeld, 48, had been facing five to 20 years when sentenced by U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. In papers filed with the court, the government recommended the minimum sentence of five years, noting a plea agreement in the case.

According to a statement of facts filed in the case, Gerstenfeld admitted using his credit card in 2006 to buy access to Web sites featuring girls between the ages of 12 and 17. He also said that while surfing the Internet, he saw images of children having sex with adults.

The statement of facts said an examination of his University of Richmond computer found hundreds of images of child pornography. "Many of these images depicted actual children whose identities have been cataloged by" the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, authorities said.

Gerstenfeld resigned his job at UR because of the charge. In papers, his lawyer, Debra D. Corcoran, argued that testing showed Gerstenfeld does not have a sexual interest in children but that he does have an addiction to pornography.

"A long prison sentence cannot make him feel more shameful or guilty than a shorter term; more prison time is not necessary to deter him from committing the act he is charged with again," wrote Corcoran, arguing for a more lenient sentence than otherwise called for.

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