Officer Bryan
Herrera was arrested on three counts of possession of child pornography
and one count of distribution of child pornography. Police say the
42-year-old Herrera is being held on 100-thousand dollar bail at the
Anchorage Jail. He'll be arraigned this afternoon.
Anchorage
Police Chief Walt Monegan says the case involved images of child
pornography found on a computer, but he would not elaborate. He also
says police have not uncovered evidence that any child had been harmed
by Herrera.
Monegan says
police began investigating Herrera last Tuesday off a tip from a
daycare provider. Herrera, a married father of four, had been assigned
to the warrants section as an adult prisoner transport officer. He has
been placed on paid administrative leave.
============
In June, police
officer Sammy Cohen was charged with 21 counts in connection with
sexually abusing an underage girl and stashing child pornography on his
home computer.
The girl told
investigators she was sexually molested and photographed in Eagle River
when she was between 12 and 14 years old.
============
06/27/2005 - The
wife of Anchorage
police officer Sammy Cohen, who stands accused of sexually abusing a
minor and possessing child pornography, says he is not guilty.
Emily
Cohen says she and her husband are shocked and saddened by the charges
brought against him. She says he is a good man and a good cop and he
will eventually be cleared of these charges.
In
handcuffs and prison clothes, a somber Sammy Cohen arrived at his
arraignment today. Thursday, a grand jury handed down a 21-count
indictment, including charges of sexual abuse of a minor, the unlawful
exploitation of a minor and possession of child pornography.
In the courtroom
today, Sammy Cohen's wife listened to the proceeding as Judge Michael
Wolverton entered the not guilty pleas.
“I feel for my husband, and I’m shocked and he's
shocked,” she said.
Emily
Cohen said her husband is innocent and that everything that has been
said about him is in conflict of his personality.
“He’s very black and
white. He follows the rules. He was an Army ranger. He’s very
patriotic. He’s a good person. He’s a good man.
He’s a good cop.”
According
to charging documents, Cohen sexually abused a 12-year-old girl for two
years beginning in 1999 and he even took nude photographs of her.
It’s
those photos that police say they found on his computer.
Emily
Cohen won't say the accusations are false, but she has her doubts.
“I
don't know them well enough to be able to say that. I don't think that
they’re accurate,” she said.
Cohen
said she has her own theories about what happened, but would not go
into details. As for her husband, she said he is doing all right and
also maintains his innocence. “He was very clear this didn't
happen,”
she said.
Emily
Cohen said her family is consulting with attorneys to fight the
charges. She said she has been married to Sammy Cohen for a year and a
half. She has two children. She said friends and family have been very
supportive and she says no one believes the charges.
Emily
Cohen said she knew about the investigation four months ago when it
began, but that neither she nor her husband thought anything would come
of it.
