Westerlund: Booze to blame
Fri, Nov 6, 2009 
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MEGAN SCHMIDT
The Holland Sentinel
HOLLAND — Tom Westerlund considered the teen boys he welcomed into his aunt's house one day in 2005 his "good friends."
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But in explaining guilty pleas in federal court Thursday, Westerlund said afternoon visits with the boys "went too far" when he asked a teen to take video of a 13-year-old boy engaged in a sex act.
He also blamed alcohol in explaining his guilty pleas to federal Court Magistrate Ellen Carmody.
"Our photographs went into indecency," admitted Westerlund, who described the boy as the son of a friend. "It should not have taken place."
Westerlund, 51, pleaded guilty Thursday on all four counts that allege he produced and possessed child pornography.
The investigation into Westerlund began in March, when the Zeeland Police Department received a complaint that he had given alcohol to a juvenile.
After another minor told police he believed Westerlund had sexual contact with his juvenile friend, investigators searched his residence, sailboat, vehicle and the Tulip Time office where Westerlund worked.
Police confiscated DVDs, CDs and computer hard drives containing images and videos of boys in various states of undress.
They also seized alcohol and marijuana from his residence, which investigators said he had been giving to the teens.
Westerlund admitted to police following those searches that he was sexually attracted to boys between 10 and 15 years old.In exchange for his guilty plea in federal court, Ottawa County prosecutors have agreed to drop several state charges, including four counts of criminal sexual conduct. The deal requires he still plead guilty to two state counts of criminal sexual conduct.
The Ottawa County Prosecutor's Office will also recommend that Westerlund's state and federal sentences run concurrently. The deal requires he be sentenced to at least 15 years; the four federal charges carry a maximum 80-year prison term. Sentencing is set for Feb. 11.
Westerlund Thursday was required to explain his guilty plea for each count.
The first count of sexual exploitation alleged Westerlund in 2005 took a series of digital videos of himself sexually assaulting the boy.
Westerlund told the judge that he consumed alcohol beforehand. He said he and the boys were "trying out" the camera and the alcohol impaired his judgment.
For the second exploitation charge, Westerlund admitted he brought underage boys on his docked sailboat and took photos in the cabin of another 13-year-old boy.
