An Alameda County firefighter was accused of attempted sex acts with a child and possession of child pornography in Modesto last month, police said Friday.
Kip Weber, 48, of Cameron Park was arrested in February on accusations of attempted lewd acts with a child under 14, lewd communication with a minor, distributing harmful material to a minor and possession of child pornography, Modesto police said on social media.
Weber is a captain in the Alameda County Fire Department, a spokeswoman confirmed.
Weber was one of 21 people arrested for attempting to exploit minors under a series of investigations launched in May, police said.
"Through undercover chatting operations, 12 individuals were identified who sent explicit images, videos, and messages to what they believed were minors," police said. "Several suspects arranged in-person meetings with the intent to commit sexual acts. In some instances, the content they sent or the acts they committed warranted charges of attempting lewd acts with a child."
Modesto police also arrested eight adults and a juvenile over two days last week identified through tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Police reviewed tips on individuals suspected of downloading, possessing or sharing child sexual abuse material and executed search warrants at 14 locations in Modesto on March 5 and March 6.
Local
The fire department learned of Weber's arrest on Feb. 28 and placed him on paid administrative leave, spokesperson Cheryl Hurd said.
"Our department supports our law enforcement partners and fully cooperates with all agencies involved while the investigation continues," Fire Chief William McDonald said in a press release. "Our residents' safety and trust are the highest priority at all levels."
Get a weekly recap of the latest San Francisco Bay Area housing news. Sign up for NBC Bay Area’s Housing Deconstructed newsletter.
