Brentwood Doctor Accused of Aggravated Possession of Child Pornography (CA Penal Code 311.1 – 311.11)

A 73-year-old physician living in Brentwood and originally from Pittsburg (name withheld to protect anonymity) has recently been charged with possession of child pornography following an investigation headed by a Contra County task force concerning Internet crimes against children.  The doctor stands accused of aggravated possession of child pornography and law enforcement officials claim that over 600 illicit images of children were found in his home on various computers.  Representatives of the task force related to the case have also said that the way in which the doctor was discovered was through the use of tracking peer-to-peer networks.

California law is harsh when it comes to those who possess images of children engaging in sexual acts (California Penal Code 311.1 – 311.11).  It is especially illegal to send these images over the Internet or to receive them.  In fact, task forces like the one mentioned above (which was comprised of various state and federal agents) spend quite a bit of time and energy fishing for any and every hint of the electronic transfer of child pornography.  Of course, at the same time, these groups access irrelevant information in the process, causing great concern from some parties about the efficiency and accuracy of these methods.

If the above-mentioned physician is convicted, depending on the exact circumstances of the case, he will likely face up to 5 years in state prison and a maximum $2,500 in fines.