COSTA MESA, Calif. – (Sept. 23, 2024) The Costa Mesa Police Department (CMPD) is seeking potential additional victims of a man arrested on Friday in connection to a previous arrest of a couple, who were arrested for possession of child pornography. This is the third arrest in this ongoing investigation.
CMPD arrested Jonathan Garduno on Sept. 7, 2024, for attempting to meet a 15-year-old girl in Costa Mesa with intent to commit a sex crime. This led to an investigation involving extensive evidence of child pornography.
On Sept. 13, 2024, the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) detectives obtained a search warrant for the residence and cell phone belonging to Jonathan Garduno due to the active investigation. Detectives found Garduno was engaged in a text message conversation with another user, later identified as Tanner Shallahamer, 24, Costa Mesa. Detectives found Shallahamer was sending and receiving images and videos of child pornography. Detectives also found Shallahamer sent videos of himself stalking a female while she lay in bed at her residence in Costa Mesa. Detectives are further investigating Shallahamer for possibly stalking other women and female teenagers and involving another male subject by sharing identifying information with intent to commit a sex crime.
On Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, SIU detectives located and arrested Shallahamer for possession and distribution of child pornography. A search warrant was obtained for Shallahamer’s vehicle and residence.
Detective Gardner requested and was granted a $250,000 bail enhancement but despite that, on Saturday, Shallahamer bailed out. Bail schedules are not set by CMPD but are based on the legal charging penal codes, in this case $20,000.
Due to the evidence collected, detectives believe Shallahamer has potentially stalked and sent nude photographs of himself to other female victims within the Costa Mesa and Newport Beach area. CMPD is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying potential additional victims, as well as additional information related to this case. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Detective Gardner at (714) 754-4937.
