A firefighter has been charged with downloading child pornography while he was at work at a Los Angeles County Fire Department station in El Monte.
Matthew David Winters, 51, faces up to five years and six months in state prison if convicted of one felony count of possession of child pornography and one misdemeanor count of destroying or concealing evidence, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.
An arraignment date has not yet been set.
Winters is accused of downloading the pornography to a computer at a fire station in El Monte from last December through this May. He allegedly destroyed a computer hard drive in an attempt to conceal evidence, according to Deputy District Attorney Teresa de Castro.
County Fire Inspector declined to discuss Winters' status with the department or to address the charges.
"Due to the sensitive nature of this issue, we are not making a comment at this time," he said.
