Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Darrin Bell arrested on child porn charges, Sacramento sheriff says
Updated: 9:07 AM PST Jan 16, 2025
ALL RIGHT MELANIE THANK YOU. WELL NEW THIS MORNING SACRAMENTO COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE HAS ARRESTED A PULITZER PRIZE WINNING CARTOONIST ACCUSED OF BEING IN POSSESSION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY. DETECTIVES FROM THE SACRAMENTO VALLEY INTERNET CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN SERVED A SEARCH WARRANT. 49 YEAR OLD DARREN BELL, SEEN HERE AT HIS HOME YESTERDAY MORNING AFTER RECEIVING A TIP FROM THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR MISSING AND EXPLOITED CHILDREN. DETECTIVES SAY THEY RECOVERED COMPUTER GENERATED BY CHILD SEX ABUSE MATERIAL AND OTHER EVIDENCE RELATED TO THE CASE THAT WAS BOOKED INTO THE SACRAMENTO COUNTY JAIL ON $1 MILLION BAIL. HE IS DUE IN COURT TOMORROW. NOW HE IS A UC BERKELEY GRAD WHO HAS WON THE PULITZER PRIZE FOR HIS EDITORIAL CARTOONS. HE IS BEST KNOWN FOR HIS SYNDICATED COMIC STRIP CALLED CANDORVILLE AND RUDY PARK, WHICH FEATURES YOUNG BLACK AND LATINO CHARACTERS LIVING IN THE INNER CITY.
Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Darrin Bell arrested on child porn charges, Sacramento sheriff says
Updated: 9:07 AM PST Jan 16, 2025
The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a Sacramento-based Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist on accusations of being in possession of child pornography.Detectives from the Sacramento Valley Internet Crimes Against Children served a search warrant to 49-year-old Darrin Bell’s home Wednesday morning after receiving a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Detectives said they recovered computer-generated AI child sex abuse material and other evidence related to the case. In all 134 videos linked to the same account controlled by Bell were recovered, the sheriff’s office said. Bell was booked into the Sacramento County Jail on $1 million bail. Bell is a UC Berkeley graduate who became the first Black person to win the Pulitzer Prize for cartooning. He’s best known for his syndicated comic strips “Candorville” and “Rudy Park.” Candorville is reportedly carried by more than 100 newspapers.He’s due in court on Friday. This was the first arrest by Sacramento Valley Internet Crimes Against Detectives involving a charge for the possession of computer-generated/AI child sex abuse material, according to the sheriff’s office. It noted the law changed this year to include AI-generated material as a criminal offense.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a Sacramento-based Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist on accusations of being in possession of child pornography.
Detectives from the Sacramento Valley Internet Crimes Against Children served a search warrant to 49-year-old Darrin Bell’s home Wednesday morning after receiving a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Detectives said they recovered computer-generated AI child sex abuse material and other evidence related to the case. In all 134 videos linked to the same account controlled by Bell were recovered, the sheriff’s office said.
Bell was booked into the Sacramento County Jail on $1 million bail.
Bell is a UC Berkeley graduate who became the first Black person to win the Pulitzer Prize for cartooning. He’s best known for his syndicated comic strips “Candorville” and “Rudy Park.” Candorville is reportedly carried by more than 100 newspapers.
He’s due in court on Friday.
This was the first arrest by Sacramento Valley Internet Crimes Against Detectives involving a charge for the possession of computer-generated/AI child sex abuse material, according to the sheriff’s office. It noted the law changed this year to include AI-generated material as a criminal offense.
