Judge Facing Pornography Charges
Computer disks seized from Turtle Rock home
By Eric Johnson
Originally published in the Irvine World News, November 15, 2001
An Orange County Superior Court judge from Irvine was arrested by federal marshals Friday for possessing child pornography.
Judge Ronald C. Kline, a resident of Turtle Rock, surrendered himself to authorities at the Santa Ana courthouse after investigators found a disk at Kline's home with digital images of minors engaged in sex.
Kline, 61, allegedly admitted to having "an interest in minor-age boys," according to an affidavit filed by Customs Agent Harry Pettibone.
Kline is due back in court Nov. 29 for a preliminary hearing, though the U.S. Attorney's office may seek an indictment before then. He is due to be arraigned Dec. 3.
Kline's attorney, Paul Meyer, said his client will plead not guilty.
According to court records, Kline allegedly admitted that he views images using his home computers to access the Internet and that some of the images have been "illegal."
Assistant U.S. Attorney Deirdre Eliot said more charges may be filed as detectives continue analyzing 116 computer diskettes seized Monday from Kline's home.
Federal Magistrate Judge Arthur Nakazato also placed Kline under house detention with electronic surveillance pending his next court appearance, except for routine trips and visits with his lawyer or for medical or mental health appointments.
Kline was ordered to stay away from children as well as schools, parks, playgrounds, arcades and other places where children might be present.
In his affidavit, Pettibone said a diary Kline kept contained references to body parts of minor-age boys: "It appears from the diary that the author watches and observes these minor-age boys at such places as shopping malls, little league baseball games, and the shower area of a local athletic club. In addition, the diary recounts the author's efforts to make contact with these minor-age boys."
Kline also admitted to Irvine Det. Ronald Carr that 40 years ago, when he was 21, he had sexual contact with a male who was 14 or 15 years old.
Detectives seized Kline's work and home computers and 116 diskettes after a four-month investigation that began with a tip from the state Attorney General's Office.
U.S. Attorney's office spokesman Thom Mrozek said federal, state and local investigators use tips and undercover operations to unmask those who collect and traffic child pornography.
"We have officers pose as young people on the Internet and sometimes people will try to meet up with them," he said. "Often times, we'll find child pornography on their computers."
They also look for suspicious people at the borders.
"A lot of it is generated offshore," he said.
Authorities contend that at least three of the images were copyrighted in Denmark and downloaded off the Internet to the diskettes found in Kline's home.
Pettibone said in court documents that computers and the Internet have made it exponentially easier for child pornography collectors to gather materials and interact with and sexually exploit children.
"Previously, child pornography collectors had to rely on personal contact, U.S. mail, and telephonic communications in order to sell, trade or market pornography," he said.
"The computer and the Internet changed that."
Police Chief Michael Berkow said there was no evidence that Kline was involved in any molestation.
First-time offenders can be fined or imprisoned up to five years. Kline could also be sanctioned or removed from the bench.
SIDEBAR
What the law says: Judge Ronald C. Kline was arrested Friday for violating Title 18, 2252A (a) (5) (B) of the United States Code:
Any person who knowingly possesses any book, magazine, periodical, film, videotape, computer disk, or any other material that contains an image of child pornography that has been mailed, or shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce by any means, including by computer, or that was produced using materials that have been mailed, or shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce by any means, including by computer.
