Why "simple possession" is anything but simple

In a 2006 interview with Protect, Andrew Vachss said, "Why do I feel 'simple possession' [of child pornography:] is so critical? ... [C:]rime chases dollars. Although the huge networks grab all the headlines, without individual customers ... the networks are out of business. They run continuing criminal enterprises which are rooted in the desire of individuals to possess certain images. If those individuals were facing felony convictions, with actual prison time, and were forced to register as sex offenders, some deterrence would immediately ensue. For every 'collector' deterred, less money goes to the syndicates. If we don't stop the buyers, there will always be sellers." One of those buyers—Gerald Aumais—has been stopped. In October 2009, he was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gary L. Sharpe to ten years prison. Then, in August 2010, U.S. Magistrate Judge David R. Homer ordered Aumais to pay $48,483 to one of the victims photographed in several of the thousands of images he collected.