Modesto police arrest tutor on suspicion of possessing and distributing child porn
Working on a tip, detectives with the Modesto Police Department’s Hi-Tech Crimes Unit investigated and arrested a private tutor on suspicion of possessing and distributing child pornography.
Ronald McMurtry “provides services to children 6 years old and older,” according to an MPD news release, but “at this point, there is no evidence suggesting any of these underage clients have been victimized.”
He was arrested May 9 and booked into the Stanislaus County Public Safety Center, MPD spokeswoman Sharon Bear told The Bee. He was released on bail.
According to the news release, on May 9, detectives followed up on a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding someone uploading and downloading image files containing child pornography. The MPD was able to identify McMurtry as “the subscriber who had committed these crimes,” the release says.
A search warrant was issued for his residence and all electronic devices possessed by McMurtry. Detectives found hundreds of child pornography images and several electronic devices believed to contain more in a digital format.
Police have found no business name associated with McMurtry’s work, Bear said, and “we don’t know how he advertises.”
Anyone with information related to this case is asked to call Detective Nancy Lopez at 209-342-6180.
