Manhattan Beach School Employee Had Child Pornography: Police

REDONDO BEACH, CA — A part-time employee of the Manhattan Beach Unified School District was arrested Wednesday for allegedly possessing child pornography, Redondo Beach police reported.

Kevin Bandel, 30, of Manhattan Beach was taken into custody Wednesday morning and booked on suspicion of possession of child pornography, according to Lt. Fabian Saucedo of the Redondo Beach Police Department.

Bail was set at $20,000, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Bandel was released early Wednesday afternoon.

"As part of the Los Angeles Regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Redondo Beach Police Department received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding possible online possession of child sexual abuse material," Saucedo said in a statement.

"Based on the tip, detectives initiated an investigation that led to a search warrant being served on the 1300 block of Curtis Avenue in the city of Manhattan Beach," Saucedo said. "Multiple items of evidence were collected and Bandel was arrested and subsequently booked at the Redondo Beach City Jail."

Bandel is employed by the district as a part-time elementary school instructional assistant for instrumental music, Saucedo said.

Detectives urged other possible victims, or anyone with information on the case, to call 310-379-2477, ext. 2480.

Any suspected inappropriate contact with a minor or knowledge of child sexual abuse
material on the internet, should be immediately reported to their local law enforcement
agency or to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at (800) 843-5678,
or missingkids.com, who will forward the information to the appropriate law enforcement
agency on a nationwide basis.

- City News Service and Patch Editor Nicole Charky contributed to this report.