Police officers have arrested a former Los Angeles County employee at his home in Redlands, California, on charges related to child pornography. The development has shocked the community and left his coworkers in disbelief.

The arrest came after law enforcement received a tip about the suspect’s activities online.

A spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works was arrested Tuesday on felony charges of producing, possessing and disseminating child pornography.

Detectives with the San Bernardino Police Department's Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and Specialized Crime Unit served a search warrant at Steven Frasher's residence in Redlands, California. The 62-year-old was investigated after authorities received a tip that he downloaded illicit child pornography images and saved them in an online storage account, according to police.

The department shared a video on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, of the raid and arrest, during which officers entered the home with their guns drawn. Officers and detectives are seen preparing for the raid, searching the home, seizing and investigating electronics and putting a handcuffed Frasher into a police vehicle.

CHILD PORNOGRAPHY SUSPECT ARRESTED@sbpd_chief#ICAC #SBPD #StandardOfExcellence #SanBernardinoPD #LAICAC #SanBernardino #JoinSBPD #gettingafterit pic.twitter.com/aGYdl5K3v9

— San Bernardino PD (@SanBernardinoPD) October 3, 2023

The authorities stated that the suspect possessed numerous illicit images featuring the sexual abuse of children.

Frasher had worked in positions that involved providing information to the public for years. At one point, he attempted to get elected to the Redlands City Council in 2020, but was unsuccessful. He was an active member of his community and was known for his work in public service.

The suspect also worked as a spokesman for the Riverside Police Department and was a part of the Redlands Planning Commission. Even more disturbing is that Frasher also worked for the Glendale Unified School District, as well. In his most recent position, his job was to inform the public about what was happening in the Department of Public Works.

Law enforcement’s investigation into Frasher is still ongoing. Officials are digging into his electronic devices to ascertain the extent of his involvement in child pornography. He has been released on $30,000 bail.

This is the latest in a series of stories detailing arrests for child abuse or pornography in Southern California.

139 people were arrested in a sweeping multi-agency crackdown on child sex abuse and child pornography this month, the Los Angeles Police Department announced Wednesday.

The crackdown, dubbed Operation Online Guardian, involved over 100 agencies that comprise LAPD’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.

“Child exploitation is one of the most horrendous crimes affecting our most vulnerable members of the community,” Joe McNally, Assistant U.S. Attorney General, said at a news conference Wednesday morning. “Through these crimes, predators target those who can’t protect themselves.”

In September, a Long Beach Catholic priest was charged with possession of child pornography.

Father Rodolfo Martinez-Guevara, 38, of Long Beach, allegedly possessed more than 600 images of child sexual abuse material, including pictures and videos of minors under 12, officials said.

Martinez-Guevara was a member of the Missionaries of the Holy Spirit and associated with several churches, including Our Lady of Guadalupe in Oxnard, authorities said.