CSAM & Predators - Persons in Positions of Power &Trust - Law Enforcement Officials Charged in CSAM and Luring/Enticement Cases

Updated October 18, 2014
Persons who are employed in positions of power or trust are among the most disturbing offenders in child crime cases.  Some of these offenders likely aspired to high office for the purpose of having greater access to minors.  Those who sought employment in law enforcement perhaps believed that their status would help to protect them from the law, or they may have aspired to a police career with the hopes that they could gain insider information that could help them to avoid the law.

Eric Lund

26-year veteran California Highway Patrol Sergeant Eric Lund was arrested and charged with downloading and sharing child pornography while on and off-duty using wi-fi left on at closed businesses.  A search of Lund’s personal car revealed a hard drive containing child pornography. Lund is free on bail and faces charges of possessing obscene matter: a minor in sexual acts, and sending/selling obscene matter depicting a minor.

Christopher Richard Garcia

Christopher Richard Garcia, a deputy Los Angeles City Attorney, was arrested for possession of child pornography.  The 57 year-old Garcia previously worked with the U.S. Attorney's office and a joint electronic crimes task force. He posted $40,000 bail and is on administrative leave from his job.

Timothy DeFoggi

56 year-old Tomothy DeFoggi, former head of OS IT Security Operations for the Department of Health and Human Services was convicted on child pornography charges.  He expressed interest in the violent rape and murder of children in online exchanges and at one point suggested meeting up with another web user to fulfill such fantasies.

Dennis Mills Jr.

In 2014, Knox County Tennessee Sheriff's Lieutenant Dennis Mills Jr, age 43, was arrested and charged with rape by an authority figure and incest.  The 19-year veteran once worked in the Juvenile Crime Task Force.

Eddie Farmer

Former Rutherford County Tennessee Sheriff's Colonel Eddie Farmer, 55, and girlfriend Catrina McQuiston, 28, were indicted after a two-year investigation.  It is alleged that they groomed, coerced and solicited sex for money from two minor victims for several months.  Farmer once held the third-highest ranking position in the RCSO until he was fired in 2005 for conduct unbecoming of an officer. He’d been with the RCSO for 11 years before becoming a target of an internal investigation when he was accused of assaulting a female deputy.

Brian Fanelli

Mount Pleasant New York Police Chief Brian Fanelli, age 54, was suspended with pay after he was arraigned in federal court and released on $50,000 bail; charged with downloaded, sharing and possessing more than 120 computer files containing images of children engaged in sex acts.  Fanelli is married with two adult children and taught fifth-graders at a local parochial school.  Fanelli told investigators that he began viewing pornography as research so that he could teach children about the dangers of sexual abuse but then admitted that he continued viewing it with a personal interest.

Robert E. Geist

Former Brecknock Township Pennsylvania Police Chief Robert E. Geist, age 44, is charged with possessing and sharing child pornography.  Geist is accused of using peer-to-peer file sharing to transmit unlawful images and videos including one that was titled: 6Yo-babyj - Bedtime rape.   When police arrived at Geist's home to conduct the search he is reported to have activated file erasure programs on his computer in an apparent attempt to destroy evidence.

Leland Dale Benson

Leland Dale Benson, age 67, of Oakland Oregon was arrested for the crimes of encouraging child sex abuse based on his possession of contraband images depicting the sexual exploitation of minors.  According to news reports Benson is the former police chief for the town of Myrtle Creek, Oregon. He began his  law enforcement career in California.  In 1970 he joined the Coos Bay Police Department where he worked for 25 years. He directed an Interagency Narcotics Team and helped to reorganize the Sutherlin Police Department. He served as the police chief in Myrtle Creek in 2000.

Steve LeClair

In 2005, Pewee Valley Kentucky Police Chief Steve LeClair, age 33,  was indicted for having child pornography on his home computer.  He resigned and pled guilty to the misdemeanor crime of official misconduct and received a one-year conditional discharge and paid a $200 fine.

Charles Randall Childers

In 2006, Landis North Carolina Police Chief Charles Randall Childers, age 50, was arrested on felony child pornography and luring/enticement charges.  Childers used the Internet to distribute child pornography and to induce a person he believed to be an underage girl to engage in sexual activity.  The person actually was an undercover agent.  Childers pled guilty to one count of transportation of obscene matters, one count of enticement of a minor, and one count of possession of child pornography. He was sentenced to 151 months prison and 10 years supervised release.

Sources:

Cohen, S. and Tonsall, S. (October 17, 2014). CHP Officer facing serious and disturbing  allegations, arrested on child porn charges. Fox40, Sacramento, Stockton, Modesto. Retrieved from http://fox40.com/2014/10/17/chp-officer-facing-serious-disturbing-allegations/

Serna, J. and Winton, R. (September 5, 2014). Deputy L.A. city attorney arrested on multiple child porn charges. LA Times. Retrieved from http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-asst-city-atty-child-porn-arrest-20140905-story.html

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WBIR Staff. (April 9, 2014). Former officer charged with rape once worked in child unit. WBIR.com. Gannett. Retrieved from  http://www.wbir.com/story/news/crime/2014/04/09/former-knox-county-sheriffs-dept-officer-charged-with-child-rape/7497485/

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Associated Press. (October 12, 2013). Court records: Former Myrtle Creek, Ore., police chief admits to child porn.  The Columbian. Retrieved from http://www.columbian.com/news/2013/oct/12/court-records-former-myrtle-creek-ore-police-chief/

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Metro Briefs (October 26, 2005). Former Pewee Valley chief admits official misconduct. Courier-Journal. Retrieved from http://www.zoominfo.com/CachedPage/?archive_id=0&page_id=1288748811&page_url=//www.courierjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051026/NEWS01/510260450/1008/NEWS01&page_last_updated=2005-10-26T20:19:03&firstName=Steve&lastName=LeClair

Associated Press. (August 18, 2013). N.C. police chief arrested on child porn charges. Policeone.com. Retrieved from http://www.policeone.com/officer-misconduct-internal-affairs/articles/509973-N-C-police-chief-arrested-on-child-porn-charges/

US Dept. of Justice. (February 12, 2008). Charles Childers Sentenced For Sex Crimes Involving A Minor Former Landis Police Chief Ordered to Spend 12+ Years in Federal Prison. US Attorney's Office, Middle District of North Carolina. Retrieved from http://www.justice.gov/usao/ncm/news/2008/021208_Childers.html

The Daily News Journal. (February 25, 2014). Ex-Rutherford County Sheriff's colonel indicted for alleged crimes against children. DNI.com. A Gannett Company. Retrieved from

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