A Menifee man and former university police officer was sentenced Wednesday to 46 months in federal prison for possessing hundreds of sexually explicit videos and images of child sexual abuse, authorities said.
Paul Aurelio McClain, 47, pleaded guilty on March 18 to one count of possession of child pornography, according to a press release from the Central District U.S. Attorney’s Office. He has been in custody since a 2025 arrest following the raid of his Menifee home by federal agents.
U.S. District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett also ordered McClain to be placed on supervised release for 20 years following his release from federal prison. He has been ordered to pay $22,100 in special assessments, including a $17,000 special assessment pursuant to the Amy, Vicky and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2018.
Federal agents executed search warrants at the home of McClain, a former sergeant with the San Diego State University Police Department, in March 2025. They had been conducting an undercover operation which determined that an IP address linked to McClain’s home had been used to possess a sexually explicit video of a girl who appeared to be approximately 6 to 8 years of age.
During the search, agents seized multiple digital devices, including a hard drive that contained videos of girls who appeared to be 8 to 10 years old. Other files were recovered, totaling more than 600 images.
“McClain admitted in his plea agreement that he knowingly possessed CSAM (child sexual abuse material) that he downloaded from the internet onto his digital devices, that he knew the depictions involved the use of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and that the CSAM depicted real children who were less than 18 years old,” stated the press release. “He further admitted to knowingly possessing CSAM that he downloaded from the internet that depicted prepubescent minors and minors who had not yet reached the age of 12 years old.
“Homeland Security Investigations investigated this matter with assistance from the West Covina Police Department, the San Bernardino Police Department, the Riverside County Child Exploitation Team, and the San Diego State University Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Cory L. Burleson of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section and Sonah Lee of the Major Crimes Section prosecuted this case.”
