Gilroy
– A Gilroy man was arrested Wednesday for failing to register as
a sex offender in this county, having been convicted on child
sexual exploitation charges in Utah late last year.
Michael Donald Raney, 49, a Church Street resident, was arrested
at home after authorities with the Santa Clara County Sexual
Assault Felony Enforcement (SAFE) Task Force received a tip as to
his whereabouts.
By Lori Stuenkel
Gilroy – A Gilroy man was arrested Wednesday for failing to register as a sex offender in this county, having been convicted on child sexual exploitation charges in Utah late last year.
Michael Donald Raney, 49, a Church Street resident, was arrested at home after authorities with the Santa Clara County Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement (SAFE) Task Force received a tip as to his whereabouts.
Authorities also confiscated some pornography from Raney’s home and computer, said Kevin Williams, an agent with the SAFE task force. Raney has not been charged with possession of child pornography because it has not yet been determined whether any of the pornography featured children.
Raney was being held in county jail Thursday afternoon, with bail set at $25,000, for violating the terms of his probation stemming from an April 2003 arrest in Kane County, Utah. Raney, who was on vacation at the time, was arrested following a high-speed highway pursuit. During a search of his vehicle, Sheriff’s deputies found about 150 child pornography images, most of which appeared to be gathered from the Internet.
Last November, Raney was convicted on two felony charges of attempted sexual exploitation of children. Among other things, the court ordered Raney to serve a three-year probation and register as a sex offender.
He should have registered as a sex offender in this county within five business days of his return, Williams said. Raney has lived in Gilroy for at least three years, he said.
