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Orange County District Attorney Press Release

For Immediate Release, Case # 13WF3001: October 29, 2013

FORMER OCTA BUS DRIVER TO BE ARRAIGNED FOR POSSESSING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY AND STORING IT ON HOME COMPUTER AND WORK LOCKER

WESMINSTER – A former Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) bus driver is scheduled to be arraigned tomorrow for possessing hundreds of graphic images and videos of child pornography. Richard Raoul Contreras, 63, Garden Grove, is charged with one felony count of possession and control of child pornography. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of three years in state prison and mandatory lifetime sex offender registration. The defendant is out of custody on $20,000 bail. Contreras is scheduled to be arraigned tomorrow, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2013, at 8:30 a.m. in Department W-1, West Justice Center, Westminster.

On May 30, 2012, members of the Orange County Child Exploitation Task Force (OCCETF) searched the defendant’s home after receiving information of possible possession of child pornography. Contreras is accused of possessing hundreds of videos and images containing graphic child pornography on his home computer stored on hard drives, flash drives, CDs, and DVDs. The defendant is accused of also storing CDs and DVDs containing images of child pornography in his work locker.

An extensive investigation was conducted by OCCETF. OCCETF is comprised of members from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD); Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Inspection Service; Huntington Beach Police Department; and Newport Beach Police Department. OCCETF investigates Internet-related crimes against children and crimes involving the possession, production, and distribution of child pornography.

On Oct. 2, 2013, OCSD arrested the defendant. At the time of the crime, Contreras was employed by OCTA as a bus driver, but has since retired.

If convicted, Contreras’ mandatory lifetime sex offender registration will bar him from entering County recreational areas and City parks which have passed the Sex Offender Ordinance. Visit www.orangecountyda.com to read the prior press releases on the County’s Sex Offender Ordinance as well as the 14 other cities that have enacted the Child Safety Zone Ordinance.

Deputy District Attorney Karyn Stokke of the Sexual Assault Unit is prosecuting this case.

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Tony Rackauckas, District Attorney 401 Civic Center Drive West Santa Ana, CA 92701

Contacts:

Susan Kang Schroeder Chief of Staff Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718 Farrah Emami Spokesperson Office: 714-347-8405 Cell: 714-323-4486

author avatar
Art Pedroza Editor
Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions. When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.

By Art Pedroza

Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions. When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.

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