Reporter Steve Babik interviewing Urban Meyer after a Gator victory. Little did Meyer know, Babik would go home after the game and ogle child porn.
The troubles in Gainesville go all the way up to the broadcast booth. The former voice of Florida football has landed behind bars as Steve Babik’s criminal trial came to fruition on Friday. Babik was sentenced to a lengthy 12 years and 7 months in prison for child pornography followed by a lifetime of supervision upon release. The sentence by senior U.S. District Judge Stephan Mickle was a result of a plea bargain when Babik pleaded guilty back in April for the receipt and distribution of child porn over 326 times.
The 50 year old child porn lover has worked at the University of Florida since 1987 as a football reporter and sideline announcer but he was fired in November 2009 after the child porn allegations reared its ugly head.
During the sentencing hearing, Babik and company pleaded for leniency going as far as getting the Rev. Dan Johnson to speak out about Babik’s remorse. In a meager attempt to gain the judge’s sympathy, Babik spoke about his battle with depression, insomnia, temper, and mood swings. As if that wasn’t enough, Babik then disgracefully spoke about his wife being diagnosed with cancer in 2008 and his son having several behavioral conditions. All of these life challenges were the impetus for Babik’s love of naked children. It was apparent that Babik did not want to take responsibility for his criminal acts, rather he wanted us all to believe everything around him was the cause of his problem.
The bottom line, Babik attempted to find every excuse in the book. When the judge thought he heard it all, Babik finally said he did not know he had been sharing the pornographic files with others—as if that makes it ok. Of course the judge didn’t buy any of Babik’s BS nor should he.
Child pornography is flat out wrong and ugly. Babik is paying the ultimate price, his freedom, for his criminal behavior. He looked for remorse because of his family issues. Well perhaps his family and personal issues are a reflection of Babik himself. His family probably wouldn’t be crazy if Babik got over his love for child porn and focused on the people around him by being a good father.
I applaud the US Attorney’s office and Judge Mickle for a job well done. Let’s hope Babik won’t have internet access while incarcerated.
