CHRISTIAN HERNANDEZ gets 30 years after admitting on CHP job application that he watched child porn

Man gets 30 years after admitting on CHP job application that he watched child porn

Man gets 30 years after admitting on CHP job application that he watched child porn
By Andrew Blankstein

2:44 PM PDT, June 22, 2011

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An El Monte man who admitted to child molestation while applying to join the California Highway Patrol was sentenced Tuesday to 30 years in federal prison.

Christian Hernandez, 31, received a maximum sentence of 360 months in prison after pleading guilty in 2009 to one count of production of child pornography in connection with the ongoing sexual molestation of a 5-year-old girl, authorities said.

U.S. District Judge Otis D. Wright II also ordered Hernandez to be supervised for the rest of his life once he's released from prison. Hernandez must pay more than $71,000 to cover counseling for the victim.

Wright said the maximum sentence was called for because of the significant harm to the children molested and Hernandez's denial of "the full extent of the sexual abuse of the victims."

The case came to light when Hernandez applied to the CHP and admitted in a background questionnaire that he had recently viewed child pornography. During a search of Hernandez's El Monte home, CHP investigators found a collection of child pornography on his computer.

They included photos depicting Hernandez molesting a girl in the bedroom of the house. In arguing for the maximum sentence, prosecutors noted that Hernandez was suppose to be caring for the 5-year-old victim. In addition, they said that he "possessed an extensive collection of child pornography depicting minors being raped by adult men" and that Hernandez had molested more than one child.

Prosecutors said Hernandez "has no shame regarding his conduct."

Hernandez also faces trial in Los Angeles County Superior Court on additional molestation charges.