From THE BIRMINGHAM NEWS

Ex-councilman charged, held without bond

Authorities on Thursday charged former Birmingham City Councilman Don MacDermott with possession of obscene matter.

A judge has ordered the 53-year-old Trussville man, who has two daughters, held without bond.

He was awaiting transfer to the Jefferson County Jail on Thursday evening.

The offense with which MacDermott is charged is a Class C felony and deals with possession of obscene material involving victims under the age of 17.

Jefferson County Chief Deputy District Attorney Doug Davis said MacDermott, a real estate consultant, could face additional charges.

"We're talking about children," Davis said. "I'm not going to get into the facts."

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and Trussville police arrested MacDermott at his home Wednesday in a pornography investigation, authorities said. The arrest stemmed from a federal investigation, although federal charges have not been filed.

Trussville Sgt. Paul Skaggs said federal officials contacted Trussville police about a week ago. Officers and agents raided MacDermott's home about 9:30 a.m. Wednesday. They seized three computers, extra hard drives, video cameras, digital cameras, CDs, DVDs and videotapes.

Skaggs said a Trussville police forensic computer expert will examine the computers. The federal agents took the rest of the digital equipment.

Skaggs said the material seized is so voluminous it will take officers two to three weeks to go through it.

"A preliminary review of the hard drive data indicated numerous child pornographic images," Skaggs said.

He said it appears the material was for MacDermott's personal use. The preliminary review didn't find any homemade pornographic material.

A federal search warrant containing details of the raid at his home was not available for public view on Thursday.

The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives assisted because weapons, including an illegal submachine gun, were found inside MacDermott's home, authorities said.

Skaggs said MacDermott is a gun collector, and the machine gun seized was not connected to the pornographic material. The gun was on a list of weapons requiring a federal license, which MacDermott does not have. The gun was stored in a safe.

MacDermott served one term on the City Council but failed to the make the runoff in his bid for a second term in 2001. He is a graduate of Banks High School and a lay youth volunteer at Northpark Baptist Church in Trussville. Efforts to reach church officials for comment were unsuccessful.



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It doesn't say if he's (R) or (D). And it really doesn't matter. They're all hypocrites. And he's still a scumbag.

If it doesn't say...it probably means (D).

In Alabama? I would think the opposite, if past returns are any indication. But again, does it really matter? He's still a scumbag.

You are seining for minnows here Jim. You could exhange all the city council members of the last ten years where I live with a group of howler monkeys on LSD and not know the difference. I suspect my town is far from alone with this problem.