Retired CHP Officer Arrested On Child Porn Charges
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — A retired California Highway Patrol officer accused of creating a phony user profile on a social networking site to allegedly bait youth has been charged with half a dozen felony counts, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office said Monday.
Retired CHP Officer Arrested
Edward John Hofer, 53, is charged with two felony counts each of sending harmful matter to a minor, possession of child pornography and contact with a minor for sexual offense, according to Deputy District Attorney Samer Hathout of the High Tech Crime Division.
He was arrested without incident at 8:50 a.m. on Monday, authorities said.
Hofer, who allegedly identified himself as a teenage girl, met an 11-year-old boy and a 15-year-old girl on Tagged.com, according to a criminal complaint filed on April 23.
Hofer retired from the CHP in 2012. His last assignment was in the Torrance area.
"He retired after learning of the investigation," Los Angeles County Sheriff Sergeant Peter Hahn said.
He remained jailed on $90,000 bail. Hofer may be arraigned as early as Tuesday in the Los Angeles County Superior Court.
If convicted as charged, he faces a maximum sentence of six years, four months in state prison.
