SAN DIEGO (NEWS 8) – A state prosecutor and son of an infamous figure in the Watergate scandal was arrested on a child pornography charge at his home in Coronado.
California Deputy Attorney General Raymond Liddy, who is 53-years-old, was taken into custody and booked into federal jail Tuesday. He is the son of G. Gordon Liddy.
Raymond was accused of possessing disturbing pornographic images.
“Just the mere fact of charges like this are a tragedy for everyone involved,” said Raymond’s attorney, Knut Johnson.
Johnson told News 8 exclusively that FBI agents arrested the Deputy A.G.
“He has plead not guilty. This is the very beginning of the case and then we will get to the end and figure out what it is all about,” said Johnson.
According to federal court records, an investigation into Liddy began in January after an internet service provider sent a tip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that a user had uploaded an image that appeared to be child pornography.
The organization received a similar tip in February from another internet provider, with the second report showing 10 images of child pornography were uploaded in a messaging program.
After the those tips were forwarded to the San Diego Internet Crimes Against Children task force, investigators tracked the activity to Liddy's home in Coronado. In an interview with FBI agents at his home Tuesday, Liddy admitted using internet services and screen names associated with the service providers who passed along the tips.
Liddy also told the FBI investigators he used the screen name and other fake online personas to share sexual fantasies online, saying he often downloaded sexual images but quickly deleted them, the Union-Tribune reported. He told the agents most of the images were of adults, but it was possible some may have been of children.
“He is a wonderful person. He is universally loved by a lot of different people who expressed that to me and he is a terrific human being,” said Johnson.
Neighbors said they are shocked.
News 8 featured Raymond, who is also a Marine Reservist, when he returned from Iraq in 2003, patrolling the U.N. headquarters before it blasted.
“He dedicated a whole lot of his life to this country,” said Johnson.
According to his LinkedIn page, which features a photograph of him wearing the dress blues of the Marine Corps, Liddy earned his bachelor's degree from New York's Fordham University, a law degree from the same university's school of law and a master's degree from the United State Army War College in Pennsylvania.
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra's office said in a statement Wednesday that it was aware of the charges against Raymond Liddy and that he was placed on administrative leave.
Raymond made his first court appearance Tuesday. He is expected to be released from jail and put on house arrest.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for August 8 in federal court.
