Former Bay Area Cop Hit With Child Porn Charges After Explosives, Meth Arrest

PETALUMA, CA —Federal prosecutors charged a former Bay Area police officer with possessing child pornography, expanding a case that began with his arrest on explosives and methamphetamine charges, authorities said Tuesday.

Gregory Klemme, a former Stockton police officer, was arrested several months ago for allegedly setting off homemade explosives and starting a fire. Now, according to a criminal complaint filed Tuesday in federal court, he has also been charged with possessing child sexual abuse material.

Gregory Klemme of Petaluma faces a federal child pornography charge that could mean up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

These charges come in addition to his earlier arrest on suspicion of possessing explosives and methamphetamine, part of an arson investigation that began in July.

He was originally suspected of setting off explosives on July 26 on Pine Flat Road in Geyserville that burned roughly two acres of federal land, according to court documents.

Klemme's arrest followed identification by a friend present during the setting off of explosives, according to authorities.

Detectives searched Klemme's house in the 1200 block of Kresky Way, where they found several pounds of explosive-making materials, three completed explosives, drugs, and drug paraphernalia, according to police.

During the search of his car, authorities found two pounds of mixed explosive powders and 42 pounds of explosive precursor chemicals, according to a criminal complaint by a Bureau of Land Management special agent, Logan Janowski.

Police said Klemme was booked into the county jail with bail set at $1 million.

He was charged with possession of destructive devices, possession of materials for making destructive devices, methamphetamine possession, and drug paraphernalia possession, according to police.

As part of the initial explosives and arson investigation, officers seized Klemme's cell phone, which later led to the discovery of the child pornography images.

According to Janowski's complaint, during their search for evidence related to explosives, investigators found six explicit videos and more than 2,200 images of child pornography on Klemme's phone.

Among the other identifiers for that phone’s user was the email “gexklemme@gmail.com," according to the court documents.

While reviewing the phone for arson and explosive device evidence, authorities found about 50 pieces of child sexual abuse images in plain view. The images depicted pre-pubescent children, estimated to be 5-10 years old, both boys and girls, in sexualized positions or sexual acts, court documents say.

Klemme was identified originally by a hunter who told California Department of Forestry and Fire Prevention investigators that he had watched two men near a gold sedan set off fireworks after hearing an explosion, according to court documents. He heard another explosion, then saw a fire start in the area below where the gold car was parked, he told CalFire investigators. The fire burned roughly two acres of federal land.

The two men left in the car. Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office deputies stopped the vehicle as it left the fire and detained Klemme and a passenger, according to court documents.

The passenger, a friend, told deputies that "his friend, the driver, ignited the fireworks," court documents show.

Related: Bombs Found In Petaluma House After Man Arrested In Arson Case: Police