Former Probation Chief Punished for Child Porn

Written by Vanessa Castañeda

A former San Mateo County probation chief must forfeit a portion of his pension benefits after he was convicted of possessing child pornography.

The Pension Reform Act of 2013 created new rules for the San Mateo County Employees’ Retirement Association that amplify punishments for malfeasance among county employees.  

Stuart James Forrest, 62, was found guilty of two felony counts of possessing child pornography last week.  He oversaw operations for the county’s probation officers in the role of Chief from 2009 until December 2012.  

That month, a U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigation identified him as a person who ordered child pornography. He was arrested and placed on administrative leave on the 12th.  Forrest resigned 10 days later, bringing into question the amount that the county will owe him in retirement benefits. 

Forrest began working with the county in 1977, according to a staffer in the county’s human resources department.  He was a full-time employee making $67.31 per hour, which equates to about $140,000 annually, when he resigned.  Pensions benefits are usually calculated based on the employee's highest three years of a person’s salary, which are often their last three years, county staffers said. The highest-paying three years of employment do not need to be consecutive, according to an FAQ on SamCERA’s website. The employee receives a percentage of that salary that depends on the amount of time they've worked for the public and what the benefits policy was at the time they were hired. 

David Bailey, chief executive officer of SamCERA, told the Daily Post that Forrest would be receiving a retirement pension of $127,943.88 per year.

However, Forrest may not receive all of his retirement benefits. 

Bailey told Patch:  “If a county employee is convicted of a felony for conduct arising out of the employee's official duties, certain benefits and rights that accrued after the commission of the crime may be forfeited. Any benefits and rights that accrued before the commission of the felony would not be affected.” 

Forrest testified during his trial that he acquired the videos and of young boys to determine the latest trends in human trafficking. He said he was looking at these things to help him make better policy decisions and purchased the items on his own dime, because the county lacked funds to pay for this research. 

He is out of custody on $100,000 bail and will be sentenced on Sept. 20.  Forrest turned 62 on July 21.