Michael Lee Patterson one of 7 arrested during 15-agency Operation Spring Clean in May 2023, including men from Oakley, San Ramon, another from Brentwood
By U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of California
OAKLAND – A federal grand jury has indicted Michael Lee Patterson for receipt of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(2) and (b), and possession of an unregistered short-barreled rifle, in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 5861(d), announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey, United States Secret Service (USSS) Special Agent in Charge Shawn M. Bradstreet, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Cicolani. The indictment, filed April 18, 2024, was unsealed on May 6, 2024, at Patterson’s initial federal court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Donna M. Ryu. On May 16, 2024, Magistrate Judge Ryu ordered Patterson detained pending trial.
According to the government’s detention memorandum, in late May 2023, the Silicon Valley Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (SV-ICAC) conducted an operation to identify and arrest adults engaging in sexual conversations with undercover chatters posing online as minors. During this operation, Patterson engaged in an online conversation with an undercover officer posing as a 13-year-old girl, and eventually planned to meet and engage in sexual conduct. Officers arrested Patterson when he arrived at the agreed upon location. In Patterson’s car, officers located the phone Patterson had used to communicate with the undercover officer, and next to the phone, officers located a loaded .38 caliber revolver. The government further argued that after his arrest, Patterson was found to have been in possession of over 600 videos and over 1,200 individual images depicting child sexual abuse material on various electronic devices, as well as dozens of firearms, firearm components, boxes of ammunition, and firearm manufacturing machines and components, including a computerized gun milling machine. Three of the firearms were unregistered short-barreled rifles and one was an unregistered fully automatic machine gun.
Patterson is scheduled to appear before the Honorable U.S. District Judge Haywood S. Gilliam, Jr. on June 26, 2024, in Oakland.
As previously reported, Patterson was one of seven men arrested during the week of May 31st, 2023, while the Brentwood Police Department hosted the Contra Costa County Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force for an operation targeting adults who were seeking to meet minors for sex with the goal of identifying victims of child sexual abuse. A total of 15 law enforcement agencies participated in “Operation Spring Cleaning,” which encompassed over 1,200 law enforcement work hours throughout the week. The ICAC Task Force seized approximately 40 illegal firearms and 39 electronic devices, executed eight (search warrants, and impounded five vehicles. In total seven arrests were also made: 29-year-old Nhouel Dulay (Oakley), 42-year-old Michael Patterson (Brentwood), 43-year-old Jeffrey Pallesen (Stockton), 25-year-old Carlos Vera (Brentwood), 21-year-old Edward Stinson (Merced), 54-year-old Robert Stearns (San Ramon), and 29-year-old Randall Alston (Berkeley).
According to localcrimenews.com, Patterson is White, five-feet, seven-inches tall and 150 lbs.
The ICAC program helps state and local law enforcement agencies develop an effective response to technology-facilitated child sexual exploitation and internet crimes against children. This includes forensic and investigative services, training, technical assistance, victim services, and community education. Our agency remains committed to protecting the most vulnerable in our community and would like to thank all of the participating agencies for their contributions last week in combatting child exploitation.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of twenty years in prison and a fine of $250,000, plus restitution if appropriate, for a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(2) and (b), and 10 years imprisonment and a fine of $10,000 for a violation of 26 U.S.C. § 5861(d). However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonah Ross is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Kay Konopaske and Claudia Hyslop. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the USSS, ATF, SV-ICAC, the Brentwood and Walnut Creek Police Departments, and the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office.
Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.
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