Porno sting nabs temple president

By Tommy Hallissey

Irving H. Kamsler surrendered himself to investigators from the Nassau County District Attorney's office on Sept. 6. when he was charged with five counts of distributing pornography to minors over the course of almost two years. Mr. Kamsler pleaded not guilty.

The 60-year-old man had recently been named president of Congregation Shaarei Shalom, but he hurriedly stepped down after his indictment.

The Nassau District Attorney alleges that on July 18, 2007, Mr. Kamsler sent pornographic pictures to an agent posing as a 15-year-old girl, using the screen name "IRV1040." Mr. Kamsler described sexual intercourse, anal intercourse and oral sex to the agent, according to the felony complaint. The agent reported he did so "for the purposes of enticing me (in my undercover role of a 15-year-old female) to actually engage in such activities with the defendant."

Allegedly, there was a pattern to Mr. Kamsler's pedophilic tendencies.

Court documents say that on Sept. 22, 2005, Mr. Kamsler started a conversation with an undercover agent employed by the Long Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children - who he thought was a 13-year-old girl. Mr. Kamsler transmitted pornography to the undercover agent. He also described touching the private areas of the 13-year-old girl to entice her to do so with him.

Mr. Kamsler is charged with the same crime on Oct. 7, 2005 for indecent communication with another undercover agent posing as a 13-year-old girl. He allegedly sent indecent material and described touching the girl's breasts.

Less than a month later, on Nov. 6, 2005, Mr. Kamsler is accused of communicating once again with a Long Island SPCC undercover agent on AOL. He sent pornographic pictures and talked of fondling the breasts of a girl he believed to be 13.

Two days later, Mr. Kamsler allegedly sent pornographic pictures to another agent - whom he thought was a 13-year-old girl. Once again he described fondling the breasts of the minor.

Mr. Kamsler could not be reached for comment. He is due back in court for a conference on his case Oct. 19. He faces five felony counts of attempted dissemination of indecent material to minors in the first degree.

Rabbi Steven Burton of Congregation Shaarei Shalom had no comment.