A spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works was arrested Tuesday on felony charges of producing, possessing and disseminating child pornography.
Detectives with the San Bernardino Police Department's Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and Specialized Crime Unit served a search warrant at Steven Frasher's residence in Redlands, California. The 62-year-old was investigated after authorities received a tip that he downloaded illicit child pornography images and saved them in an online storage account, according to police.
The department shared a video on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, of the raid and arrest, during which officers entered the home with their guns drawn. Officers and detectives are seen preparing for the raid, searching the home, seizing and investigating electronics and putting a handcuffed Frasher into a police vehicle.
"Through further investigation, the suspect was found to have numerous images of Child Sexual Abuse Material on his electronic devices," the caption for the video reads. "The suspect was arrested for several felony charges, and the digital evidence was recovered."
A press release states that electronic devices will undergo a forensic examination as part of the ongoing investigation into Frasher, a former school employee.
"The San Bernardino Police Department’s ICAC team is dedicated to investigating and protecting the children in our communities," Detective Clint Walton told Fox News.
Fresher has worked for LA County in his role since 2015, according to his LinkedIn. Frasher was still listed on the county’s website as an employee as of Wednesday morning. Kerjon Lee, chief of strategic communications at the Department of Public Works confirmed to KTLA that Frasher serves as a public information officer for the department.
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Frasher’s LinkedIn also lists him as previously serving as a public information officer for the Glendale Unified School District between 2011 and 2012 and the civilian spokesperson for the Riverside Police Department between 2005 and 2008. It adds that he was the assistant to the mayor of Riverside from 2003 to 2005.
Frasher has been the chairman of the Redlands' Planning Commission since 2013, according to the city’s website. He also ran unsuccessfully for city council in Redlands in 2020, reported The Sun.
According to the sheriff’s department, Frasher was released on bail late Tuesday night.
Neither the Department of Public Works nor Frasher immediately returned requests for comment.
