Saratoga Science Camp worker guilty in distribution of child porn, molestation
Edgar Covarrubias-Padilla
SANTA CLARA COUNTY — The Santa Clara County Sheriff’s office participated in the investigation of a science camp worker who was suspected of not only child pornography, but also the rape of two boys who had stayed at the camp.
According to prosecuting attorney David Shabaglian, “The former employee of a popular Santa Clara County science camp this week pleaded (guilty) as charged to 15 criminal counts, 14 felonies, and one misdemeanor, including possession and distribution of child pornography and sexually molesting two boys.”
The former employee was known to many as “papa bear”. The suspect, 29-year-old Edgar Covarrubias-Padilla, who guarded the grounds after dark at the Walden West Science Camp, was soon under investigation after discovering that he was distributing child pornography from an email account under the name of “pbear.”
Investigators made the horrific discovery of over 20,000 images and videos of child pornography on his laptop, cell phone, and online accounts.
Undercover agents working child porn cases in California identified Covarrubias-Padilla as the person who had posted a link to a DropBox account where 14 child-sex videos could be easily accessed.
During an investigation in identifying the sender, Homeland Security agents were able to track down the suspect by investigating a Facebook user account tied to “pbear” who worked at Walden West Outdoor School & Summer Camp located in Saratoga, California.
After the suspect’s arrest, media attention also led two victims to come forward — a 10-year-old Santa Clara County camper, who had attended the camp in April of 2015, and a second victim from Stanislaus County, who was victimized by the suspect between the ages of 7 and 9.
After pleading guilty, and by terms of an agreed sentence, Covarrubias-Padilla will be sentenced on May 25, 2017, at the Hall of Justice in San Jose, to 18 years in prison.
Santa Clara County Prosecutor Shabaglian said, “A person who molested two children and distributed child pornography, exploiting more children, will be sentenced to almost two decades in prison. Our community is safer because of that.”
