April 5, 2005

Campbell resident arrested on child pornography
and attempted child molestation charges

On March 16 detectives from the San Jose Police Department’s Child Exploitation Detail/Inter-net Crimes Against Children Task Force arrested Prashant Banch-hor, 37, of Campbell for attempted child molestation, sending harmful material to a minor and enticement of a minor for the purpose of prostitution.

These crimes were committed during the suspect’s on-line interaction with an undercover police officer posing as a 12 year-old girl. The suspect began sending e-mail messages to the undercover officer a few days before. For the next few days, the suspect sent sexually explicit e-mail messages and pornographic photos to the detective. The suspect arranged to meet with the minor “victim” for sex in west San Jose.

The suspect arrived at the location and was taken into custody. He was booked into Santa Clara County Jail for one count of attempted child molestation, sending harmful material to a minor and enticement of a minor for the purpose of prostitution. Detectives are concerned that there may be additional victims and are encouraging them to come forward. The suspect used the screen name “knp_999@yahoo.com.”

Detectives from the San Jose Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force are committed to aggressively purse and investigate any case of attempted exploitation of children over the Internet. Anyone with information on this case is urged to call Detective David Gonzales of the San Jose Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against ChildrenTask Force/Child Exploitation Unit at (408) 277-4102. Persons wishing to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at (408) 947-STOP.