MARTINEZ, Calif. – A 21-year-old Martinez man has pleaded guilty to one count of child molestation and has been sentenced to six years in state prison, the Contra Costa County State Attorney’s Office has announced.
The man, Aaron Kurtis Mikkelson, was sentenced Tuesday by Judge David E. Goldstein. No information about the victim was released.
In his admission, Mikkelsen said he sexually molested a child younger than 13. He will be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life, the office announcement said.
Investigation of Mikkelson was conducted by the multi-agency Internet Crimes against Children Task Force and was managed by the San Jose Police Department.
Contra Costa County participants were detectives and investigators from police departments of Martinez, Walnut Creek, San Ramon, Concord and Moraga, as well as the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, United States Secret Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the Contra Costa County Probation Department and inspectors from the District Attorney’s Office.
As a result, the task force executed a search warrant in Martinez by the Contra Costa County Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Oct. 23, 2018, the announcement said.
The search was related to suspicion Mikkelson was selling child pornography on social media sites.
“During the search, investigators discovered evidence that Mikkelsen had sexually abused a child under 13 years old,” the statement said.
According to court records, police began investigating Mikkelsen after a tip about suspicious activity from his internet account. They determined Mikkelsen, who worked at a local sporting good store, was distributing pornographic videos of underage boys, authorities said.
In addition, investigators found “a significant amount” of child sexual abuse material on a cell phone and in several social media accounts, the statement said.
“Protecting our children from hands on sexual abuse and online exploitation is a priority for this Office. Individuals who seek to victimize the most vulnerable members of our society will face significant consequences,” said District Attorney Diana Becton.
She urged parents to speak to their children about online safety, and for guidance to visit the website www.kidsmartz.org or the district attorney webpage.
