Brentwood man charged with receiving child pornography, illegal firearms
A federal grand jury has indicted a Brentwood man for allegedly receiving child pornography, federal authorities said Friday.
Michael Patterson was detained Thursday.
According to U.S. Justice Department, the government's detention memorandum says in late May 2023, Patterson allegedly had an online conversation with an undercover officer posing as a 13-year-old girl, and eventually planned to meet and engage in sexual conduct.
The Silicon Valley Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (SV-ICAC) conducted an operation to identify and arrest adults engaging in sexual conversations with undercover chatters posing online as minors.
Officers arrested Patterson when he arrived at the agreed upon location. Officers allegedly found the phone Patterson used to communicate with the undercover officer and, next to the phone, officers allegedly located a loaded .38 caliber revolver.
Agents allegedly found more than 600 videos and 1,200 individual images depicting child sexual abuse material on various electronic devices belonging to Patterson, as well as dozens of firearms, firearm components, boxes of ammunition, and firearm manufacturing machines and components, including a computerized gun milling machine.
Three of the firearms allegedly were unregistered short-barreled rifles and one was an unregistered fully automatic machine gun.
Patterson is charged with receipt of child pornography and possession of an unregistered short-barreled rifle.
Patterson is scheduled to appear before U.S. District Judge Haywood S. Gilliam, Jr. on June 26 in Oakland.
If convicted, Patterson faces a maximum sentence of twenty years in prison and a fine of $250,000, plus restitution if appropriate.