A Bay Area firefighter wanted on child pornography charges is now believed to have faked his death, landing himself on the FBI’s Most Wanted list.
Former Alameda County firefighter Charles Johnathen Harris, 46, may still be alive, federal authorities announced Tuesday.
Harris, of Modesto, California, was indicted by a federal grand jury for possession of child pornography on March 2, 2023. He was 42 at the time. Harris was alleged to have possessed images of child pornography on his iPhone — including images of prepubescent children, prosecutors said.
Harris faced a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. The court issued another federal arrest warrant for Harris on April 21, 2023 after he was charged with failure to appear in court.
However, just over a month after his initial indictment, Harris allegedly drowned in a boating accident in Suisun Bay, California on April 4, 2023.
Investigators now want to look at Harris’ death closer, as they consider the possibility that his death was staged. Legal analyst Steven Clark told NBC Bay Area that the case may be resurfacing due to possible sightings of the suspect, noting that staying under the radar is “very difficult now.”
Harris was first indicted after federal authorities received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children which revealed he was allegedly uploading child pornography on the social platform Kik. These uploads allehedly occurred while he was working at fire stations in Alameda County.
Harris was initially released on bond “with the condition that his access to the internet will be restricted,” prosecutors said.
Alameda County Fire officials told NBC Bay Area they have no updates on their former employee.
Harris is believed to also go by aliases Chuck Harris or Charlie Harris, according to investigators
The FBI is requesting that anyone with information regarding the case contact their local FBI office, the nearest American Embassy or Consulate or submit a tip on the FBI’s website.
