An Oakhurst man was arrested for allegedly possessing child sexual abuse material, and authorities said he also appears to have recorded guests at his short-term rental without their knowledge.
Christian Parmelee Edwards, 44, was taken into custody March 19 at his home at 50730 Granite Butte Way, the Madera County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. The property, a portion of which Edwards also rented out as a vacation home, is a short drive from Yosemite National Park. Oakhurst is home to dozens of short-term rentals promoted to visitors to the national park.
After receiving a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children last month, investigators found more than 4,000 digital files containing child sexual abuse material, including explicit photos of children aged 5 to 15, said Kate Woertman, public information officer with the Madera County Sheriff’s Office.
Detectives then executed a search warrant at the home and seized 30 electronic devices, including cameras, tablets and cellphones, she said. They found evidence suggesting Edwards had been recording guests at his short-term rental without their knowledge, using his cellphone to film them through cracks in the windows, Woertman said.
Edwards was booked into the Madera County Jail, where he is being held on $75,000 bond, jail records state. He faces a felony count of possessing child sexual abuse material, with a special allegation that it consisted of 10 or more images, court documents state.
Edwards may be charged with additional offenses, including invasion of privacy, as the investigation continues, according to the sheriff’s office. A message to his attorneys was not immediately returned.
Authorities released a photo of Edwards’ home to alert potential victims who may have stayed there, and asked that anyone with information contact the sheriff’s office.
