Santa Clara County Sheriff's deputy arrested for alleged possession of child sexual abuse material

A Santa Clara County Sheriff's deputy has been arrested for alleged possession of child sexual abuse material, authorities said on Monday.

The San Jose Police Department said in a press statement that officers were flagged down at about 10:13 a.m. Saturday by a person who said she discovered the material at a known suspect's San Jose home. An investigation led to the identification of the suspect as 41-year-old Sheriff's deputy Roy Chen, and detectives obtained a search warrant for his home, police said.

Later Saturday, detectives arrested Chen in the city of Cupertino and booked him into the Santa Clara County Main Jail for possession of child sexual abuse material.

The Sheriff's Office said that Chen was placed on administrative leave and the investigation would be led by the San Jose Police Department. Separately, the Sheriff's Office said it was conducting an administrative investigation into the matter.

"These allegations are extremely serious. At the same time, we must respect the integrity of both the criminal and administrative processes and avoid drawing conclusions before the facts are fully established," the Sheriff's Office said in a prepared statement. "The Sheriff's Office remains committed to accountability and public trust, and we will take appropriate employment action once those processes are complete."

Police asked anyone with information about the case or similar cases to contact the department.