Getting your
Trinity Audioplayer ready...SAN JOSE — A local resident has been charged with possessing child pornography after a Homeland Security Investigations agent allegedly infiltrated an online group where pedophiles discussed grooming kids and shared videos, court records show.
Steven Gomez, 33, of San Jose, allegedly admitted to an undercover agent that he had sexually abused young children, including an infant, then repeated the confession once authorities came to arrest him. He’s charged with possessing child sexual abuse material that includes videos Gomez took of himself “exposing his penis” to a baby, according to the criminal complaint.
Gomez also allegedly admitted to molesting a 3-year-old girl during his interview with police, the complaint says. He has been detained while the case is pending and is next due in court on June 25.
The criminal complaint says an undercover agent joined an online group “dedicated to grooming children” but authorities are keeping the application a secret. There were dozens of self-admitted child predators on the group, who talked about molesting kids, shared images and videos of child rape and molestation, and invited new members they met online, authorities allege.
When Gomez joined, he became “Suspect 21,” according to the criminal complaint, because police had already identified 20 other separate users of the group by that point. His first communication was, ““Hi. I’m looking for advice on grooming,” and he detailed alleged molestation he’d committed in private messages with the undercover agent, according to prosecutors.
Police identified Gomez through his IP address. The complaint says that while Gomez didn’t upload files to the group, his admissions were enough for police to get a warrant to search his Dropbox account, where they found alleged child pornography. More was discovered on his phone after his arrest on June 10, the complaint says.