Newsom wants to fund high tech crimes task force that snared alleged Sacramento predator

The police task force charged with investigating online child sexual abuse would continue to receive state funding, under a proposal by Gov. Gavin Newsom in his 2022-23 May Revision budget.

Newsom’s spending plan calls for continuing to fund the California Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, or ICAC, at $5 million. This would match the state’s support for the last three fiscal years.

However, the funding request is a one-time allocation, meaning that the program would not necessarily be included in future budgets.

Newsom’s budget is subject to approval by the Legislature.

The move comes as law enforcement advocates called on the governor to restore funding to the program.

In March, Assemblyman Jim Cooper, D-Elk Grove, who is running for Sacramento County Sheriff, wrote a letter to the chairs of the legislative budget committees, urging them to continue funding the ICAC program, which underwrites law enforcement teams in Sacramento, San Jose, Fresno, Los Angeles and San Diego.

“As a former Commander of the Sacramento Valley High Tech Crimes Task Force, I know first-hand how valuable ICAC is to protecting our young ones from sexual violent predators,” Cooper said in a statement.

In April, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office released a video calling on Gov. Newsom to restore funding for the program.

“If ICAC funding is not included in the governor’s budget, the task force teams will have to eliminate all dedicated personnel who are responsible for combating child sexual exploitation and abuse,” said Sgt. Juan Hidalgo, commander of the Sacramento Valley High Tech Crimes Task Force, in the video.

That task force recently arrested a 24-year-old man suspected of using social media to lure children into performing sexual acts on camera; Demetrius Carl Davis of Sacramento County is alleged to have more than 80 victims across the country, including California, Texas, Indiana, Florida and New York.

This story was originally published May 13, 2022 at 12:07 PM.