University PD officer -- Menifee resident -- faces porn charges

By Doug Spoon, Editor

A Menifee resident who is also a police sergeant at San Diego State University was arrested at his home last week and faces federal child pornography charges, according to published reports and university officials on Tuesday.

Television station NBC7 in San Diego reported Tuesday afternoon that Paul McClain, age 45, was arrested Thursday, March 13 at his Menifee home. Menifee 24/7 has confirmed that this arrest was the result of a raid at McClain’s home, which according to tax records is in the 29000 block of Winter Hawk Road.

Readers began messaging Menifee 24/7 on social media about heavy activity including marked and unmarked police cars, a police helicopter, and a SWAT team with an armored assault vehicle that was used to break down the front door of the residence. According to one neighbor who posted on Facebook, the raid happened in the early morning and lasted about 40 minutes.

Menifee Police Department referred Menifee 24/7 to the Office of Homeland Security, which declined to comment on the case. But the public information officer for San Diego State responded Tuesday with the copy of a message sent out on Monday to faculty, staff and students. It did not name McClain, but university police chief Gregory Murphy released McClain’s name to media outlets Tuesday.

The announcement from Murphy stated, in part:

“I am writing to share deeply disturbing and concerning information that a police officer with the San Diego State University Police Department (UPD) has been arrested and charged on allegations of downloading child pornography to his personal computer. This is shocking, and I want to immediately acknowledge that no child – and no one – should ever experience exploitation, and to also recognize the pain and upset this has caused within our organization.

“On Thursday, March 13, Homeland Security Investigations Cyber Crimes Investigators unit, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), contacted UPD. The university learned on that day that the UPD police officer was arrested away from campus. The following day, on March 14, the police officer was charged with the possession of child pornography. Upon learning of the allegations, UPD immediately initiated actions to terminate the officer.”

The San Diego Union Tribune, which also reported the story, stated that McClain was arrested “after an investigator determined that at least seven videos that showed underage girls being raped and sexually assaulted had been downloaded to his personal computer at his Menifee home, according to court records.”

The televised report states that a cybercrime investigator first made contact with McClain and traced the images to his home computer last July. Law enforcement officials have been investigating the case since then.

NBC7 identified McClain as a father of three. Tax records show that McClain and his wife purchased the Menifee home in 2015. Neighbors say they have often seen McClain driving to and from his home in a police cruiser.

McClain is being held without bail and faces an April 1 court date in Riverside. Menifee 24/7 will continue to follow this story.

Here’s a link to the televised report by reporter Allison Ash of NBC7 San Diego:

San Diego State police sergeant, father of three, named in child-porn case

Menifee 24/7’s Kristen Spoon contributed to the reporting of this story.