SAN LEANDRO — An Alameda County Fire Department firefighter was in a county jail Monday after his weekend arrest at a fire station on suspicion of possession of child pornography, authorities said.
According to statements by San Leandro city staff and the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office, Charles “Chuck” Harris, 42, of Greeley Hill, was taken into custody Sunday morning in the 1000 block of 143rd Avenue in San Leandro after his arrest under a Ramey warrant on suspicion of possession and distribution of multiple child-pornography files. Harris was later booked into Mariposa County’s adult detention facility and held on $50,000 bail.
Officials shared limited details Monday due to what they described as ongoing investigations’ sensitive nature, but did say tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children prompted three initial investigations that led to Harris’ arrest by Mariposa County sheriff’s deputies, members of the Central California and Silicon Valley Internet Crimes Against Children Task Forces, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
“The safety and protection of children is one of the most important jobs we have. Children need to know they are safe,” Mariposa County Sheriff Jeremy Briese said. “I am extremely proud of the swift and professional job our Detectives and partner agencies did, always working together so our communities are safer.”
“These allegations, if proven true, are deeply concerning and undermine the public’s trust in our public safety service,” San Leandro Mayor Juan Gonzalez said Monday.
“We will work closely with our partner agencies to ensure that justice is served. Each day, our community places its trust in our public safety staff, and we absolutely understand the anger and disappointment caused by the arrest of a first responder.”
San Leandro city staff said Harris, who worked in the city, was placed on paid administrative leave under his fire department collective bargaining agreement. An Alameda County Fire Department spokesperson reached Monday afternoon had no comment due to the ongoing investigation, but the department later acknowledged the firefighter’s arrest at a fire station Sunday.
“ACFD is not at liberty to disclose any additional information at this time, however; our department supports our law enforcement partners and is fully cooperating with all agencies involved,” a department statement released Monday night said. “The safety and trust of our residents are of the highest priority at all levels. Alameda County Fire Department is committed to protecting our communities and takes pride in dedicating ourselves to excellence. Our members will remain steadfast in their dedication to providing superior service to our community.”
Contact George Kelly at 408-859-5180.
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