Bennie E. Richardson, IV, age 37, was arrested at his Pasadena townhome on Friday. He's in jail and his computers -- a laptop computer and a home-built desktop, with two large hard drives -- are undergoing a forensics exam. They look ordinary, but not to the local Internet crimes against children (ICAC) task force.
"Inside there, it's a crime scene," said Detective Matt Gray. "There are videos and photographs of children brutally being assaulted."
The raid was prompted by a cyber-investigation that showed child pornography downloads to computers at Richardson's address. Police say he was downloading pornography even as they walked in Police say hundreds of images were found.
"He was looking for prepubescent children," said Det. Gray. "The majority of videos that we saw were videos depicting children in very compromising positions, engaged in activity that no child should have to endure."
Detectives say Richardson claimed to be involved with a Boy Scout troop. The local Boy Scout council says it has no record of him.
Photos were also found on his computers -- ordinary snapshots of Richardson with children. Now authorities want to talk to those children.
"We are looking to see if there are live victims out there," explained prosecutor Eric Dedlin. "We can hopefully get them some help and get them rescued and get them out of the situation."
Officials are also investigating the possibility that Richardson may have been involved with a local church. Police say he had worked in information technology, but had been fired from his job a day or so before his arrest. Richardson remains in jail, with a bond set at $150,000
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