Task force cyber alerts lead sheriff’s detectives to arrest two on child porn charges

Cyber alerts from an internet crimes task force have led Tuolumne County sheriff’s detectives to arrest two men suspected of possessing child pornography.

The most recent arrest occurred Thursday afternoon, when Jonathan Rodriguez, 36, of Sonora was taken into custody at the Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Department, officials announced in a Facebook post Friday.

Sheriff’s spokesman Deputy Nicco Sandelin said Rodriguez was at the department as part of the detectives’ month-long investigation. Rodriguez was arrested on suspicion of possessing child porn.

Rodriguez’s arrest was the result of a cyber alert sheriff’s detectives received in mid-December from Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, which helps state and local law enforcement agencies respond to suspected technology-facilitated child sexual exploitation.

Sandelin said the cyber alerts indicate a potential crime has been committed, and then the detectives begin their work investigating. But the sheriff’s spokesman would not disclose any details about the alert that led to Rodriguez’s arrest, fearing releasing that information could harm the integrity of the investigation.

Sandelin also declined to say if the detectives found pornographic video or photos in Rodriguez’s possession, how many illicit images were found or how Rodriguez allegedly obtained the child porn images.

“Due to the nature of this crime, there’s not a whole lot of details we can release,” Sandelin told The Bee Friday.

A similar cyber alert from the Internet task force led to the Jan. 7 arrest of Michael Pavao, 53, of Sonora. Pavao was arrested on suspicion possessing child porn and sexual exploitation of a minor.

Sheriff’s officials asked anyone with information about these child porn possession cases to call detectives at 209-694-2930.

This story was originally published January 21, 2020 at 8:09 AM.