Riverside Man Walter Klink Gets 20 Years for Child Porn

Walter Klink, 42, of Riverside, is headed back to federal prison for 20 years after being caught again with child pornography — this time with images involving a minor relative. Sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Virginia A. Phillips, Klink will serve 240 months behind bars, followed by lifetime supervised release. The sentence marks a brutal return to custody for a man whose predatory behavior paused only during his last incarceration.

Klink isn’t new to the system. In 2007, he was convicted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for possession of child pornography and sentenced by the same judge to eight years in federal prison. But the moment he hit the streets on supervised release, the cycle began again. Law enforcement intercepted evidence that Klink had not only reoffended but had compiled a collection of illicit material that crossed every moral and legal line — including explicit images of a blood relative who was a minor.

‘This defendant’s criminal conduct paused only while he was in federal prison,’ said U.S. Attorney Eileen M. Decker. ‘Therefore, the sentence in this case will help protect the children of our community for the next two decades and will ensure the defendant is under court supervision for the rest of his life.’ The statement underscores the futility of past rehabilitation attempts and the government’s resolve to keep repeat offenders locked away.

The investigation was a joint operation between U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Riverside County District Attorney’s Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement (SAFE) team. Prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tritia Yuen from the Riverside branch office, the case reflects a tightening net around predators who exploit children across digital platforms and familial trust.

Klink is the latest in a string of Inland Empire men to face severe federal consequences for child pornography-related crimes. Jeremy Matthew Meyerett, 41, of San Bernardino, was sentenced December 12 to 20 years for producing child pornography, including images of a 5-year-old girl. James Gregory O’Neill, 58, of Riverside, got 10 years in May for his third conviction on possession charges — each time returning to the same depraved behavior despite prior prison time.

Others in the crackdown include Andrew Harrison Fowler, 26, of Perris, a convicted sex offender who pleaded guilty April 18 to possession of child pornography depicting victims under 10. He was sentenced June 27 to 12 years. Anthony Michael Scotti, 22, of Murrieta, pleaded guilty April 4 to possession and admitted to using Kik to distribute images and to coercing a 15-year-old girl in another state into sending explicit photos. He faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years when sentenced January 23 by Judge Philip S. Gutierrez. The pattern is clear: the feds aren’t letting up.