Full Notification

Newman, CA -  

The Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office has announced the conclusion of a long-term investigation which began in 2021 as a result of a National Center for Missing & Exploited Children tip.  

We were initially made aware of possible electronic child pornography possessed by an IP address pinpointing to Newman, CA.  An investigator with specialized training and experience in these types of crimes located two additional cyber tips leading to the same IP address. 

The detective was able to obtain a search warrant for the IP addresses’ physical location in the 2100 block of Denali Park Ct in Newman, Ca. 

During the execution of the search warrant, detectives found child pornography on a cell phone belonging to Newman resident Cesar Gallardo, 26. During an interview with Gallardo, he admitted to accessing and downloading child pornography. He even wrote an apology letter for his crimes.  Gallardo was arrested and is awaiting trial for possession of child pornography. 

After further review of other electronic devices seized from the original warrant, we learned Gallardo was using SnapChat as a means of viewing sexually explicit images of a minor in Oklahoma. Within the SnapChat communication, Gallardo was directing the minor to provide him with sexually explicit images, videos and inappropriate text messages. 

Our office worked with Homeland Security Investigations out of Stockton, who in turn collaborated with Oklahoma counterparts to locate the exploited minor.  Authorities in Oklahoma were able to locate the juvenile and confirm they were the child who had been corresponding with Gallardo. Homeland Security out of Oklahoma obtained their own federal indictment and supporting federal arrest warrant. 

On behalf of HSI Oklahoma and Stockton offices, and in collaboration with the SCSO’s Special Victim's Unit, the federal arrest warrant was executed on May 26, 2022 at the Denali Park Ct residence in Newman.  Cesar Gallardo was arrested without incident, taken into federal custody, and will now await extradition back to Oklahoma for child sexual exploitation charges.