Concord Man Charged with Possession of Child Pornography

OAKLAND – Ruben Eric Calle has been charged with possession of child pornography announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Tatum King.

Calle, 54, of Concord, was charged in a criminal complaint filed October 29, 2019, and unsealed Wednesday. According to the affidavit of a task force officer and member of the Silicon Valley Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force filed in connection with the criminal complaint, Calle possessed more than 600 sexually explicit images of child pornography. Law enforcement agents found the child pornography when they executed a search warrant at Calle’s residence on July 11, 2018. The images found in Calle’s possession are alleged to include depictions of an adult engaging in sexually explicit conduct with prepubescent children, including an infant or toddler. Allegedly, the images also include depictions of sadistic and/or masochistic conduct.

The investigation into Calle’s conduct began in 2018 when the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received two CyberTips. Based on the information provided, investigators traced the uploading of child pornography on a peer-to-peer service to Calle’s residence.

Calle was arrested today in Concord and made his initial appearance in federal court in Oakland before U.S. Magistrate Judge Donna M. Ryu. Calle’s next appearance is set for ‪November 5 at 10:30 a.m.‬ for a status and detention hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kandis A. Westmore.

A complaint merely alleges that crimes have been committed and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of 10 years (20 years if the images depict prepubescent children), and a fine of $250,000, plus restitution for each violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan U. Lee is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Jessica Gonzalez Rodriguez and Kathleen Turner. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Silicon Valley Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Concord Police Department, and United States Department of Homeland Security.

Further Information: Case #:19-mj-71771

A copy of this press release will be placed on the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s website at www.usdoj.gov/usao/can