Long Beach, California: Wednesday, May 5, the Long Beach Police Department announced the arrest of 52-year-old James Diamond, a 25-year veteran officer with the Los Angeles Police Department, on charges of possession and distribution of child pornography.
The statement indicated that the Long Beach Police Department's Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce had received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children related to child abuse material possibly being distributed online in October 2020.
During the investigation, LBPD detectives gathered enough evidence for probable cause to arrest Diamond and obtain search warrants for his Long Beach residence and his place of employment in Los Angeles.
Diamond was taken into custody outside of a business in Huntington Beach and the search warrants on his residence and place of employment were executed.
Diamond was booked on suspicion of two counts of possession of child pornography and two counts of distribution of obscene matter depicting a minor. All charges are felonies, and his bail was set at $100,000. He was released on bail later in the day.
The Los Angeles Police Department has been notified of the charges against Diamond and has indicated that their Professional Standards Bureau will be conducting their own investigation. A spokesperson for the LAPD told Los Angeles Daily News that Diamond has been assigned to home and had been "stripped of all police powers."
Investigators are asking that anyone with information contact the LBPD Computer Crtimes Detectives Julie Lacey or Laurie Barajas at (562) 570-7223. If wishing to remain anonymous, tips may be submitted through "LA Crime Stoppers" by calling (800) 222-TIPS (8477) or by visiting www.LACrimeStoppers.org.
This arrest comes just months after a 26-year-veteran of the Long Beach Police Department, 56-year-old Mark Brown was arrested on similar charges.