Political Consultant Who Pleaded Guilty To Child Porn Weighing Options
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- A San Francisco political consultant who pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography in December might withdraw his plea in April because he has been deemed unsuitable for home detention by the sheriff's department and would have to serve jail time.
Enrique Pearce entered the no contest plea on Dec. 23 to two charges related to possession or distribution of child pornography. Investigators say they recovered 4,902 images and videos of child pornography from computers seized in a search of his Tenderloin apartment in February 2015.
A stolen parking meter was also discovered in his apartment and Pearce pleaded guilty to buying or receiving stolen property.
San Francisco Superior Court Judge Rene Navarro had agreed to sentence him to only six months of county jail, which can be served as home detention, and five years of probation. The judge reached the deal over objections of prosecutors who were seeking prison time.
But the San Francisco Sheriff's Department has been unwilling to sign off on the home detention, meaning that Pearce would have to serve jail time. Pearce is weighing his options and will return to court on April 7 to either withdraw his guilty plea and stand trial or face the jail sentence.
Pearce worked as a consultant at Left Coast Communications. He is credited with having worked on political campaigns for U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee and San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee, as well as San Francisco supervisors Jane Kim and Norman Yee, among others. He also established Pearce Law Offices.
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