Sacramento Bee reporter sentenced to 90 days jail for possession of child pornography

Sacbee.com:

A former Sacramento Bee employee was sentenced to 90 days in jail Friday on charges relating to his videotaping of a youth cheerleading competition earlier this year.

Gilbert Chan, a longtime business reporter at The Bee, can apply to serve his sentence on a sheriff's work crew rather than in custody, said Yolo Superior Court Referee David Reed.

Chan, 52, of Davis, was caught by University of California, Davis, police Feb. 3 while surreptitiously videotaping a cheerleading competition on campus, according to prosecutors.

Deputy District Attorney Robert Gorman said the videotape focused on the clothed buttocks and other areas of the cheerleaders, who ranged in age from 8 to 15.

Chan was not on duty at the time of the incident and no longer works at The Bee.

Chan pleaded no contest last month to a felony charge of possession of child pornography and a misdemeanor charge of invasion of privacy.

Under an agreement with prosecutors, Chan must complete three years of probation on the misdemeanor charge. If he does so without violating the probation conditions, his plea to the felony charge can be withdrawn.

One of the conditions is that Chan not associate with cheerleaders or attend events where cheerleaders will perform.

Earlier Bee articles identify Chan as a Bee employee on administrative leave. Looks like Chan and the Bee have gone separate ways.

Previous:

• Sacramento Bee reporter enters "no contest" plea to possession of child pornography 
• Sacramento Bee reporter pleads not guilty to felony child pornography charge... was observed videotaping cheerleading event

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Sacramento Bee reporter enters "no contest" plea to possession of child pornography

SacBee.com:

A Sacramento Bee employee pleaded no contest Tuesday to possession of child pornography and invasion of privacy.


Gilbert Chan, a veteran business reporter, was caught by University of California, Davis, police on Feb. 3 while surreptitiously videotaping a youth cheerleading competition on campus, Deputy District Rob Gorman told a judge in Yolo Superior Court. Chan was not on duty at the time of the incident, and remains on administrative leave from the paper.


Under an agreement with prosecutors, Chan pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of invasion of privacy. Under a no-contest plea, a defendant does not admit guilt, but the effect is substantively the same. He also pleaded no contest to a felony charge of possession of child pornography. The tape focused on the buttocks and other parts of clothed cheerleaders. The cheerleaders were under 18.


The felony charge will be dropped if Chan completes probation on the misdemeanor count, Gorman said. One of the requirements is that Chan stay away from events where cheerleaders perform, the prosecutor said.


Under the agreement, Chan does not have to register as a sex offender unless he fails to complete probation. If Chan fails to complete probation, the felony plea will be entered and Chan will be required to register as a sex offender for life, Gorman said.

Previous related:

• Sacramento Bee reporter pleads not guilty to felony child pornography charge
• Sacramento Bee reporter faces child pornography charges... videotaped cheerleaders with a concealed camera...

Sacramento Bee reporter pleads not guilty to felony child pornography charge... was observed videotaping cheerleading event

Sacramento Bee reporter Gilbert Chan pleaded not guilty to felony child pornography charges on Friday. From KCRA:

A Sacramento Bee reporter accused of inappropriately filming a youth cheerleading competition pleaded not guilty to charges Friday.

Gilbert Chan, a Davis resident, is charged with one felony count of possessing obscene matter depicting sexual conduct of a person under 18.

Chan waived his rights to have the complaint read in open court and to a speedy preliminary hearing.

Chan's attorney, Stephen Sabbadini, said his client had no comment at this time.

Yolo County prosecutors charged Chan after a youth cheerleading competition Feb. 3 at the UC Davis Activities and Recreation Center.

A witness told UC police a suspicious person was videotapiong cheerleaders.

Rhonda Berka, a cheer advisor for the Davis High School squad, was at the competition. She said the organization running the event is vigilant in protecting participants.

"If they see someone videotaping more than one or two squads performing, they come around and they ask you to leave and shut your camera off. So they're very conscious of what goes on at competitions," Berka said.

Berka said parents and student athletes have to be more aware about adults around children and what they're doing.

Chan is on administrative leave from the Sacramento Bee.

He will be back in court in May.

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Previous related:
Sacramento Bee reporter faces child pornography charges... videotaped cheerleaders with a concealed camera...
Sacramento Bee downplays the arrest of a Bee reporter on child pornography charges
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Tiny newspaper scoops Sacramento Bee with more details on child porn story involving Bee's own reporter

The Sacramento Bee got scooped by tiny Woodland Democrat (circulation 10,000). The little newspaper in Woodland has online information about the Gilbert Chan case the Bee doesn't. (From this site, the Woodland Democrat has a circulation of under 10,000.)

The Bee's online version implies but doesn't state Chan's videotape was turned over to the DA's office. The Woodland report has this:

Although Chan was not arrested at the time, Police did review the footage from his camera and sent it over to the DA's Office.

And the Woodland report has this:

Chan's attorney, Stephen Sabbadini, said he is still reviewing the charge but said his client is not a child pornographer.

"First of all, I want to make sure the public understands, he was not in possession of any photos or video of any nude or naked children," Sabbadini said. "Nor is he accused of possessing any photos or videos of children engaged in sexual acts. Nor he is charged with any allegations of any improper touching of any children."

I noted here that the Bee's stories have not been updated with developments since announcing the charges. Since then, Chan posted $50,000 bail. I also note the Woodland reporter went to the Yolo County jail to confirm Gilbert Chan's legal status. There is nothing in the Bee's stories about Chan's prior record. (FYI, Friday's report from Channel 3 television has been posted at MSNBC.)

Sacramento Bee downplays the arrest of a Bee reporter on child pornography charges

The Sacramento Bee has tried to downplay Friday's arrest of a Bee reporter on child pornography charges. Bee reporter Gilbert Chan, 52, was arrested for possession of child pornography on Friday, and posted $50,000 bail. Sacramento television stations have given the story extensive coverage. (See here and here.) Friday the Bee ran a brief story on the charges facing Chan, tucked away on page B2. The Bee's online story is here.

But the Bee hasn't updated their stories with additional information, such as Chan posting $50,000 bail, or other details emerging on the case.

You can only imagine how the Bee would treat this case if a prominent Republican was arrested. Or a Christian minister.

Why hasn't the Bee interviewed the director of the cheerleading competition? Why hasn't the Bee interviewed any parents whose kids participated in the cheerleading event? There are many more angles to the story. Bee readers will not be happy to learn they are being shortchanged.

I will have more on this story later.

Sacramento Bee reporter faces child pornography charges... videotaped cheerleaders with a concealed camera...

Sacramento Bee reporter Gilbert Chan, 52, is facing felony charges for possession of child pornography. The Yolo County District Attorney filed a single felony count alleging possession of obscene matter depicting sexual conduct of a person under 18. The incident involved a cheerleading competition, where Chan was observed videotaping cheerleaders using a concealed camera. A witness alerted police. Chan has posted $50,000 bail in the case.