News
Teen finds porn on video game bought in Modesto, given as gift
Published: Jan 04, 2007 - 06:45 PM
Christmas turned X-rated for a 14-year-old Utah boy who found pornography, not football, on a video game bought in Modesto. Kolton Mahoney said he saw an explicit image on the television screen after putting the Madden NFL 07 game into his new Xbox 360 console. He received the popular game as a gift from his uncle, Dan Mahoney of Manteca, who said he bought it at Circuit City in Modesto on Dec. 2
This is definitely not Madden," Kolton said, recalling his first thought. His parents saw the video and said they were stunned.
The game was manufactured by Electronic Arts of Redwood City. It arrived in Utah still in a factory-sealed case, said Kolton's mother, Linda Mahoney.
Dan Mahoney said he was in Modesto shopping and dropped by the Circuit City on Dale Road.
"It was a brand new game," he said from his home Saturday night. "It was entirely wrapped with those security seals on them."
He said he gift-wrapped the game and brought it along on his trip to visit his brother, sister-in-law and five children at Christmas in Layton, Utah.
He said Kolton told him, "There's porn on this."
"Somebody had to have done something at the factory," said Dan Mahoney, adding that he did not see the image. "I just happened to get that copy."
The Mahoneys, according to the Standard-Examiner of Ogden, said they called representatives from Electronic Arts and the Modesto Circuit City.
"I haven't been told anything," said Kristin White, entertainment sales manager for the Modesto store. "I haven't heard any complaints … and that would have been the hot topic among the employees."
Stephanie Nightlinger, a spokeswoman for Richmond. Va.-based Circuit City, said company officials learned of the problem from the Ogden newspaper. Nightlinger said she knew of no other complaints but that the company would investigate.
Electronic Arts did not return calls from The Standard-Examiner seeking comment.
The Mahoneys have contacted Utah's Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force about the problem. It will work with local police and California authorities to determine how the video game was altered, task force Lt. Rhett McQuiston said.
"The hard part will be finding out who did it," he said. "We'll give it a shot."
Dan Mahoney said that when next Christmas comes, if nephew Kolton wants another video game, he won't hesitate to buy it. "I don't like it at all," he said. "I just happened to get the wrong one."
The game was manufactured by Electronic Arts of Redwood City. It arrived in Utah still in a factory-sealed case, said Kolton's mother, Linda Mahoney.
Dan Mahoney said he was in Modesto shopping and dropped by the Circuit City on Dale Road.
"It was a brand new game," he said from his home Saturday night. "It was entirely wrapped with those security seals on them."
He said he gift-wrapped the game and brought it along on his trip to visit his brother, sister-in-law and five children at Christmas in Layton, Utah.
He said Kolton told him, "There's porn on this."
"Somebody had to have done something at the factory," said Dan Mahoney, adding that he did not see the image. "I just happened to get that copy."
The Mahoneys, according to the Standard-Examiner of Ogden, said they called representatives from Electronic Arts and the Modesto Circuit City.
"I haven't been told anything," said Kristin White, entertainment sales manager for the Modesto store. "I haven't heard any complaints … and that would have been the hot topic among the employees."
Stephanie Nightlinger, a spokeswoman for Richmond. Va.-based Circuit City, said company officials learned of the problem from the Ogden newspaper. Nightlinger said she knew of no other complaints but that the company would investigate.
Electronic Arts did not return calls from The Standard-Examiner seeking comment.
The Mahoneys have contacted Utah's Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force about the problem. It will work with local police and California authorities to determine how the video game was altered, task force Lt. Rhett McQuiston said.
"The hard part will be finding out who did it," he said. "We'll give it a shot."
Dan Mahoney said that when next Christmas comes, if nephew Kolton wants another video game, he won't hesitate to buy it. "I don't like it at all," he said. "I just happened to get the wrong one."
