LOS ANGELES
A former sergeant with the San Diego State University Police Department has pleaded guilty in federal court to possessing hundreds of files containing child sexual abuse material, authorities said.
Paul Aurelio McClain, 46, of Menifee, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography and has remained in federal custody since March 2025.
According to his plea agreement, law enforcement identified an IP address linked to McClain’s Riverside County residence during an undercover peer-to-peer network investigation in July and August 2024. Investigators traced the activity to a file depicting a young girl, believed to be approximately 6 to 8 years old, engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
In March 2025, federal agents executed search warrants at McClain’s home and seized multiple digital devices. A forensic review uncovered more than 600 files containing sexually explicit images and videos of minors, including content involving prepubescent children and minors under the age of 12.
In his plea, McClain admitted he knowingly downloaded and possessed the material, understood it depicted real minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and was aware of the nature of the files stored on his devices.
U.S. District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett has scheduled sentencing for June 24,