A former San Antonio couple, who sexually assaulted a little girl in their care and then took pictures to trade over the internet with other child pornography collectors, had the book thrown at them this week by a federal judge.
Ashleigh Welsh and William Welsh both were sent to prison for 27 years, which is the maximum under federal statute. “
I’m so, so sorry for what I have done. I have no excuse. I know it was wrong,” Ashleigh Welsh told the judge.
Her attorney unsuccessfully argued that his client suffered from severe mental illness. “I do believe she has schizophrenia. I think she’s bipolar. I think she has a split personality,” Tom Clarke told Newsradio 1200 WOAI.
While in federal prison awaiting trial, a psychological evaluation found that she was mentally competent to stand trial.
Meanwhile, attorneys for William Welsh argued that their client was a chronic user of methamphetamines.
“I’m not saying it leads people to do this, but it is a factor,” attorney Brian Kimbrough unsuccessfully argued.
The pair was caught in a fast moving investigation by Homeland Security, thanks to a tip that came from half-way around the world.
According to the criminal complaint, authorities in New Zealand recovered images and videos depicting the sexual assault of a child. They were being traded through an instant messenger app called Kik, and the account was traced to San Antonio.
"The adult female has many identifying tattoos that are visible in the images," the complaint reads, referring to a bear claw on the woman's hand. The images also show a man's wrist that has a tattoo of cursive letters.
"Using the tattoos, as well as social media accounts, the San Antonio HSI agents were able to identify the adult female and the adult male depicted."
Agents first tracked the pair to a home in Stockdale, Texas. They had moved out, but a search of the property turned up wallpaper that matched the wallpaper in the background of the child exploitation images.
The Welsh's were eventually caught in Sandia, south of Lake Corpus Christi. According to the complaint, they both admitted to producing the perverted pictures.
IMAGE' GETTY