Former state prosecutor convicted of child porn charge

SAN DIEGO —  A federal judge on Wednesday convicted Raymond Liddy, a onetime prosecutor with the state attorney general’s office and the son of the man who orchestrated the Watergate break-in, of possessing child pornography, following a non-jury trial in San Diego federal court that lasted 2½ days.

U.S. Dist. Judge Cathy Ann Bencivengo, who presided over the trial, scheduled Liddy’s sentencing for May 1. He faces up to 10 years maximum in federal prison, but could also get far less time in custody.

Liddy was arrested July 25, 2017, by FBI agents who had searched his home in Coronado, Calif. They had gone there after multiple internet service providers contacted a national tip line saying a user had uploaded images that appeared to be child pornography. Those tips were forwarded to a law enforcement task force charged with investigating online crimes against children. Investigators traced information to a computer at Liddy’s home, according to court records.

The search turned up an external hard drive and two thumb drives that each contained child pornography images. Liddy told agents when he was questioned that he used a screen name and login in to view pornography online, shared sexual fantasies online and might have inadvertently viewed or downloaded child pornography, but said he would delete it.

At the time of his arrest, the attorney general’s office said that Liddy had been placed on administrative leave. On Wednesday, the communications office said he stopped working there Nov. 14, 2017. The State Bar of California shows his license status as inactive as of Jan. 1 but provides no other details.

Liddy has been free on bond since his arrest.

Liddy is the son of G. Gordon Liddy, who organized the bungled burglary of the Democratic National Committee headquarters in 1972 that touched off the Watergate scandal. The elder Liddy eventually was convicted of conspiracy and other charges and served 4½ years in prison.

Moran writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune.