California Firefighter Pleads to Child Porn Charges

Posted by: Curt Varone March 21, 2022 0

A California firefighter who was arrested last December after investigators uncovered child pornography on electronic devices at his firehouse and his home, has pled no contest to possession of child pornography.

Kern County firefighter Christopher Vega, 35, resigned from the fire department January 14, 2022. He is now facing a 16-month prison sentence along with a lifetime sex offender registration requirement. He will be sentenced on April 12, 2022.

Vega was arrested on December 20, 2021, following the execution of search warrants at multiple locations including his workplace and his home.  The investigation zeroed in on Vega because an IP address associated with accessing child pornography was traced to Kern County Fire Station 25. Investigators determined Vega was the only firefighter present on each of the occasions when the child pornography web site was accessed. Investigators claim he possessed more than 600 images and videos containing child pornography.  More on the story.

About Curt Varone

Curt Varone has over 45 years of fire service experience and 35 as a practicing attorney licensed in both Rhode Island and Maine. His background includes 29 years as a career firefighter in Providence (retiring as a Deputy Assistant Chief), as well as volunteer and paid on call experience. He is the author of two books: Legal Considerations for Fire and Emergency Services, (2006, 2nd ed. 2011, 3rd ed. 2014, 4th ed. 2022) and Fire Officer's Legal Handbook (2007), and is a contributing editor for Firehouse Magazine writing the Fire Law column.
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