U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker called the case a "personal tragedy" and said Ward has many laudable achievements related to his charitable work.

But the judge said he was troubled that Ward, a former Roman Catholic priest who crusaded against molestation of children, didn't seek help for his predilection toward pornography.

Ward, 57, told the judge, "I regret my actions. I want to apologize for these actions. I take full responsibility for these actions."

At a hearing in May, Ward admitted to one count of sending e-mail that contained child pornography. Prosecutors from the U.S. Department of Justice had asked for a sentence of nine years and told the judge in a filing last week that the nine-year sentence was needed to reflect the seriousness of the crime and the victimization of the children who were depicted. Ward e-mailed the images to at least 10 other people, according to the prosecutors.

The Justice Department lawyers wrote that Ward's conduct was "amoral" and "universally unacceptable."

The defense attorney said Ward's involvement in child pornography began as research for a book but "lost its focus, at least in part because of the influence of alcohol." The offense has had a "devastating" effect on Ward's family, including his four children, and his career, the attorney said.

Ward's attorney, Doron Weinberg, asked in a filing last week for the minimum five-year sentence—the mandatory federal minimum. The attorney wrote that Ward admits to the seriousness of the offense, but contended that five years is sufficient punishment.

Ward will have to register as a sex offender and be monitored for the rest of his life.

The judge also ordered that Ward be given psychological treatment while in prison and be allowed to participate in an alcohol abuse recovery program.

The pornography came to light when a woman in Stanislaus County who had been exchanging sexual messages with Ward alerted police that Ward had sent her an image of child pornography in December 2004.

KCBS' Janice Wright reports

(cfu)