SAN FRANCISCO—Hundreds of videos and pictures were seized by the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) after a child pornography bust took place in San Francisco. According to a press release, the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) agents worked with SFPD Internet Crimes Against Children Unit to arrest Kori Nicole Ellis, 40, on April 17.
Investigators discovered over 600 files of child pornography with victims are as young as one year old. Ellis had also contacted minors and manipulated them into send sexually explicit photographs of themselves to her.
The majority of Ellis’ victims were across several states in the US, but one of the disturbing cases occurred during a chat Ellis had with a couple in the United Kingdom. She directed the married couple to molest their infant child. According to chat records, it appeared that the couple had obliged. UK law enforcement were able to identify the couple and raided their residence in May, where five minors were found in their custody and moved into protective care services after the couple was arrested.
Investigators reported that Ellis was communicating with individuals about child pornography topics through online chat applications, where Ellis would send and receive child pornography.
As investigations have continued since Ellis’ arrest in April, police have identified a second individual by the name of Patrick Harvey, 29. Harvey is a resident of Navato in Marin County, and allegedly met with Ellis in-person to view and trade child pornography.
Both Ellis and Harvey are currently still in federal custody. Ellis was indicted on August 11, and Harvey’s case remains under seal in the United States District Court of Northern California. According to police officers, Ellis has been charged in San Francisco Superior Court with possession, receipt, distribution and production of child pornography involving sado masochism.
