Child Porn Arrest: UC Berkeley Executive

BERKELEY, CA — The University of California at Berkeley's executive director of financial planning and analysis was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of a misdemeanor charge of possessing child pornography, police said.

Jon Bain-Chekal, 49, was released from Berkeley's jail later on Thursday, which is standard protocol for misdemeanor offenses, according to police.

The investigation into Bain-Chekal began after the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a tip about child pornography from an online account, according to Berkeley police spokesman Officer Byron White.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Concord Police Department and members from Contra Costa County's District Attorney's Office and sheriff's office assisted in the investigation.

White said the online account was created and accessed from Bain-Chekal's residence and work.

He said a search warrant on the online account revealed additional images of child pornography and additional search warrants were served at Bain-Chekal's residence and work.

White said child pornography images were recovered from a laptop during the search warrant and when Bain-Chekal was interviewed he admitted to viewing and possessing child pornography.

UC Berkeley's website lists Bain-Chekal as being the executive director of the university's financial planning and analysis.His team is responsible for managing the Berkeley campus's budgetary resources in support of instruction, research, and public service, according to the university website.

A UC Berkeley spokeswoman said, "The campus is in the process of putting Jon Bain-Chekal on administrative investigatory leave. As this is an ongoing investigation, we cannot provide additional information at this time."

Copyright 2020 by Bay City News, Inc. —Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.