Washington Post cartoonist gets detained due to child pornography
Date
1/20/2025 6:38:26 AM
(MENAFN) Darrin Bell, a Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist for The Washington Post, was arrested on child pornography charges, according to the Sacramento County Jail website. Bell was booked on January 15 and is facing felony charges for possessing and controlling obscene material depicting a person under 18.
The investigation, conducted by Sacramento Valley Internet Crimes Against Children detectives (ICAC), reportedly began after authorities received a tip about 18 files containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) uploaded to an online service. Further investigation led to the discovery of 134 videos linked to an account believed to be owned and controlled by Bell. A search of Bell's residence led to his arrest.
Bell's bail has been set at $1 million. The arrest is noted as the first in Sacramento County under a new law targeting the possession of AI-generated child pornography, which went into effect on January 1.
Bell is widely known for his comic strips “Candorville” and “Rudy Park,” which have appeared in The Washington Post and other national outlets. In 2019, he became the first African American to win the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning. As of now, there has been no official statement from Bell’s representatives or major news organizations regarding the arrest.
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