Psychologist Kenneth Breslin Charged with Child Porn Possession

A federal grand jury in Oakland indicted 68-year-old psychologist Kenneth Breslin of Lafayette, California, on December 15, 2016, for possession of child pornography. The charges, announced by U.S. Attorney Brian J. Stretch and HSI Special Agent in Charge Ryan L. Spradlin, mark a stunning fall for a man who once ran a respected therapy practice under the name ‘A Child’s Point of View.’

Breslin, the owner and director of the Orinda-based psychotherapy office, provided adolescent, adult, and family counseling for years. But his career now lies in ruins, suspended by a Contra Costa Superior Court order dated November 28, 2016, that prohibits him from practicing psychology. The order preceded his arrest at his Lafayette residence on December 18, 2016.

He made his first federal court appearance in San Francisco the morning after his arrest. The indictment alleges Breslin knowingly possessed and accessed images of child pornography with intent to view them. He is charged with one count of possession of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(4)(B), a felony carrying a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, plus restitution.

Breslin is currently in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service as the case moves forward. A detention hearing is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on December 21, 2016, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley. Prosecutors are expected to argue for pretrial detention, citing the severity of the charges and potential risk to the public.

Authorities stress that an indictment is not a conviction—Breslin is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. However, if found guilty, the court will impose a sentence based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and federal statutes, including 18 U.S.C. § 3553, which governs sentencing discretion.

The investigation was led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Silicon Valley Internet Crimes Against Children’s Task Force, and the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office. Investigators urge anyone with information about Breslin or his activities to call HSI’s tip line at (866) 347-2423. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christina McCall and Erin Cornell are prosecuting the case, with support from Vanessa Quant, Trina Khadoo, and Michelle Alter Eck.