CHP ARRESTS TWENTYNINE PALMS MAN IN CONNECTION WITH LARGE VOLUME OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE MATERIAL
TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. —The California Highway Patrol (CHP) has arrested a 53-year-old man following a months-long investigation that uncovered one of the largest known collections of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) linked to a single suspect in California.
The investigation began in June 2024, when investigators from the CHP’s Computer Crimes Investigation Unit (CCIU) identified an Internet Protocol (IP) address involved in large-scale CSAM downloads. Over the course of the investigation, CHP investigators obtained more than 300 gigabytes of suspected CSAM linked to the suspect — one of the largest volumes associated with a single individual in the state at the time.
On Aug. 21, 2024, CCIU investigators, with assistance from the CHP Inland Division Investigative Services Unit (ISU), executed a search warrant at the suspect’s Twentynine Palms residence. Investigators seized multiple digital devices, and forensic analysis later confirmed extensive collections of CSAM.
After completing the forensic analysis and following the filing of charges by the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office, CHP Inland Division ISU investigators located and arrested Scott Raymond Cherko, 53, of Twentynine Palms, on Oct. 23, 2025. Cherko was booked into the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Morongo Basin Station on an arrest warrant for possession of CSAM and is being held on $80,000 bail.
The operation combined the CCIU’s digital forensic expertise with ISU’s field operations to ensure a successful outcome.
“This case underscores our commitment to protecting California’s most vulnerable residents. Our investigators work tirelessly to uncover those who exploit children online, and this arrest demonstrates the CHP’s determination to hold these offenders accountable.”
- CHP Information Management Division Chief Josh Ehlers
The CHP Computer Crimes Investigation Unit specializes in computer-facilitated crimes and supports state agencies and allied law enforcement partners across California. The unit conducts proactive investigations targeting individuals who distribute or download high volumes of CSAM and provides digital forensic analysis to assist other agencies.
With expanded staffing and resources, the CCIU continues to strengthen its capabilities in surveillance, digital evidence recovery, and search warrant execution. The unit also works closely with the Sacramento Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force to combat online child exploitation statewide.
The CHP remains committed to protecting children and providing the highest level of Safety, Service, and Security to the people of California.
