Home Brentwood DA: Brentwood Man Arrested for Aggravated Child Pornography Possession

DA: Brentwood Man Arrested for Aggravated Child Pornography Possession

by ECT

DISTRICT ATTORNEY MARK A. PETERSON ANNOUNCES THE ARREST OF PITTSBURG PHYSICIAN MICHAEL RUSSELL FOR AGGRAVATED CHILD PORNOGRAPHY POSSESSION

On Friday, January 9th, 2015, the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office filed criminal charges against 74 year old Brentwood resident Michael Russell. Russell has been charged in a single count criminal complaint with aggravated child pornography possession, in violation of California Penal Code section 311.11(c). The complaint alleges on January 7th, 2015, Russell was in possession of over 600 images and videos depicting children under the age of 12 engaged in sexual conduct. Russell is a licensed physician with the State of California and currently practices medicine in Pittsburg.

The charges stem from an investigation conducted by members of the Contra Costa Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force “ICAC” which consists of Detectives from the Martinez, Walnut Creek, Pittsburg, Brentwood, Moraga, Concord, Pleasant Hill and San Ramon Police Departments, along with investigators from the Sheriff’s Office, Probation, and the District Attorney’s Office.

On January 7th, the task force executed a search warrant in the 400 block of Chestnut Street in Brentwood. A search of the residence yielded a significant amount of child pornography stored on computers. An arrest warrant for Russell was obtained on January 9th and he was taken into custody at his home in Brentwood. The Honorable Theresa J. Canepa, Superior Court Judge, set bail for Russell at $150,000.

A criminal complaint merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The maximum penalty for a violation of aggravated child pornography possession is a $2500 fine and five years in state prison.

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