Ex-Long Beach police officer pleads guilty to federal child pornography charges

A former Lengthy Seaside police officer pleaded responsible Monday to distributing youngster pornography, together with whereas working as a legislation enforcement officer.

Anthony Brown, 57, of Lakewood, pleaded responsible to at least one rely of a federal prison cost of distribution of kid pornography, the U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace Central District of California mentioned in a information launch.

Beforehand, in September 2021, he had pleaded not responsible at his arraignment to 3 counts of distribution of kid pornography and one rely of possession of kid pornography.

Brown used his sensible cellphone to log into MeWe, an internet-based messaging utility, together with when he was on obligation as a Lengthy Seaside police officer, in response to his plea settlement.

Whereas logged in, Brown knowingly distributed and possessed youngster pornography, the U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace mentioned.

Brown was faraway from MeWe and reported by the platform to authorities, a MeWe spokesperson informed KTLA when Brown was arraigned.

Brown admitted in his plea settlement to distributing sexually express photographs of ladies in November 2019, March 2020 and April 2020, the information launch states.

From October 2019 by Could 2020, Brown additionally knowingly possessed a sexually express picture of a lady who seemed to be 11 or 12 years outdated.

Brown was a Lengthy Seaside police officer for 27 years, most not too long ago assigned to a Lengthy Seaside airport safety element.

The division started investigating him in Could 2020 after they obtained an nameless tip a few doable crime in opposition to a toddler, the Los Angeles Occasions reported. Brown was then suspended with out pay.

However Brown might obtain a pension of about $93,000 a 12 months, the Lengthy Seaside Submit reported final 12 months, which is assured underneath state legislation. Nonetheless it has exceptions, together with if he’s convicted of a felony related to his job, in response to the report.

He left the power final 12 months after his arrest on state fees of possession and distribution of kid pornography. The Los Angeles County District Lawyer’s Workplace dismissed these fees in gentle of the federal case.

A sentencing listening to is scheduled for July 25, at which era Brown will face a compulsory minimal sentence of 5 years in federal jail and a statutory most sentence of 20 years in federal jail.

Homeland Safety Investigations and the Lengthy Seaside Police Division investigated this matter.