Child Porn Victims Urged to Come Forward

News broke this week that Sierra Madre resident Robert William Matheson, 66, was caught smuggling child pornography into Canada.

Now, the are asking any victims or people who know of victims to come forward.

"We're looking into if, in fact, there are any ties to Sierra Madre because he lives here," Capt. Larry Giannone of the SMPD told Patch. "We're encouraging people who may have had any possible victims in his case and any other cases to come forward."

Giannone said that the police have been in touch with the federal authorities on this case, and that he was also looking into what the law is regarding U.S. sex offenders who are convicted in other countries.

Matheson owned a home in Pictou, Nova Scotia, Canada, in addition to his home in Sierra Madre. He was in the Halifax Stanfield International Airport on Oct. 17 when he was stopped by border officers, according to the Canadian newspaper Chronicle-Herald News.

About 2,500 photographs and 280 video clips of underage boys naked or engaged in sex acts and pornographic stories were on his laptop, according to the Chronicle-Herald.

Matheson is a member of the Sierra Madre Chamber of Commerce and runs a property management company. The Pasadena Star-News reported that Matheson apparently had political ties, and hosted a fundraiser for former Mayor Joe Mosca. The fundraiser was held at his home on Liliano Drive.

According to Matheson's Facebook profile, he is originally from Millbrae, CA and an active member of the Scottish heritage group Clan Matheson Society.

Did you know Matheson?