A San Bernardino County man suspected of possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material injured himself while he was trying to destroy evidence, officials announced Friday.
The Redlands Police Department said officers arrested the suspect, Alexander Wine-Duchateau, 26, on Thursday at his mobile park home in the 13000 block of 5th Street in Yucaipa.
According to police, Wine-Duchateau hurt his fingers trying to drill through a hard drive while detectives were executing a search warrant at his home. He declined medical treatment.
The department noted that before the search, detectives removed several people from the home. Police did not immediately provide information on the other occupants.
During the search, detectives seized multiple electronic devices on which investigators later found over 100 files of images of child sexual abuse.
Officers arrested Wine-Duchateau and, as of Friday evening, were holding him at the West Valley Detention Center for possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material and destruction of evidence.
“This investigation is part of an ongoing operation by the Internet Crimes Against Children’s regional task force known as Online Guardian 2.0 to crack down on the sexual exploitation of children online,” said the department in a release.
Anyone with further information regarding this case or incidents of Child Sexual Abuse is asked to contact Redlands Police Detective Dale Peters at 909-798-7659.
