LOS ANGELES— [AP]- A veteran Los Angeles police officer is facing child pornography charges.
A federal grand jury charged 54-year-old John Robert Deegan and his 25-year-old son, Jonathon, with two counts each of possession of child porn last month, according to an indictment filed in U.S. District Court.
Both turned themselves in and were released last week on $10,000 bail.
Prosecutors say Deegan and his son had child porn on a home computer in January 2008.
Deputy Chief Mark Perez says Deegan has been suspended with pay since March when FBI agents told police officials that he was under investigation.
Attorneys for Deegan and his son declined to comment but Ira Salzman, who is representing Jonathon Deegan, says his client will plead not guilty at his arraignment Tuesday.
LOS ANGELES (CBS) ― from www.cbs2.com – Two men — a father and son who live together in Long Beach — are accused of distributing, receiving and being in possession of child pornography, according to officials.
The older man, John Deegan, 54, is also a patrol officer with the LAPD’s Central Division.
Deegan was indicted by a federal grand jury on two counts of possession of child pornography. His 25-year-old son, Jonathon, meanwhile was indicted on charges of distribution, receipt and possession of child porn.
The head of the Los Angeles police union expressed dismay and shock at the elder Deegan’s arrest.
“While the allegations are very disturbing, it is important to remind the public that everyone, including police officers, are innocent until proven guilty,” said Paul M. Weber, president of the Los Angeles Police Protective League.
“As Los Angeles police officers charged with the safety and well-being of our residents and visitors, we expect all officers to hold themselves to the highest ethical and moral standards — in both their professional and personal lives,” he said.
“While the arrest is embarrassing to the men and women of the LAPD and the city, our message to the community is unequivocal: Anyone who does anything that might endanger the welfare of a child has no place in the LAPD. Harming children is against everything we stand for as an organization and as
individuals.”
The LA Times reports that Deegan, who has been an LAPD officer for more than 20 years, was relieved of duty in March, when FBI agents alerted police officials that he was under investigation.
Federal authorities first came to suspect the younger Deegan of receiving and sending illicit images and video on the Internet, the newspaper reported.
Reportedly, after FBI agents served a search warrant on the Deegan home, they allegedly found illicit material on a computer owned by the son, as well as child porn images on the elder Deegan’s computer.