2 accused of possessing child pornography in Orange County

A 28-year-old man was arrested Tuesday in Santa Ana on suspicion of possessing “thousands” of child sexual abuse images and videos.

An investigator with the Santa Ana Police Department began investigating Jaime Castillo in March for allegedly trading child erotica and child sexual abuse materials, commonly known as child pornography, according to the department.

Over the two-month investigation, involving nine search warrants, thousands of images and videos of child sexual abuse were found to be stored by Castillo, and he allegedly sent more than 75 images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of “young children,” the Santa Ana Police Department said.

Police tracked the IP address to a home in Santa Ana, and on Tuesday morning they executed a search warrant at the home, which “reaffirmed the suspicion that Castillo was storing the sexually explicit files in several data storage devices located in his home,” according to the Santa Ana Police Department.

Castillo was arrested and the devices were seized, police said.

Also, a 38-year-old man twice convicted of possession of child pornography was charged Monday with the same offense in Anaheim.

Santos Chris Hernandez pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in the jail courtroom in Santa Ana to bringing obscene matter into California and possession and control of child pornography with a prior conviction, both felonies, according to court records.

Hernandez’s probation officer discovered child pornography on Hernandez’s cellphone and reported it to Anaheim police on June 16, according to Anaheim police Sgt. Shane Carringer.

Hernandez is accused of possession more than 600 images, including 10 or more images involving a child younger than 12, according to the criminal complaint.

Hernandez pleaded guilty to possession and control of child pornography and carrying a dirk or dagger, both misdemeanors, in January 2013.

Hernandez also pleaded guilty to possession or control of child pornography with a prior conviction, sale or distribution of obscene matter of children and distribution of pornography to a minor with the intent to engage in sexual conduct in March 2018 and sentenced to two years in prison.

Hernandez was ordered to return to court July 7 for a pretrial hearing in the North Justice Center in Fullerton.