Lake County man suspected of child sexual exploitation held on $1 million bail

A 46-year-old Lake County resident, suspected of sending photos of genitalia to a child, was in custody Wednesday on $1 million bail, according to Fort Bragg police.

The arrest of Douglas Charles Pippert followed months of extensive investigation into online activity that led to evidence Pippert used a fake Facebook account and pretended to be a girl while communicating with the victim, Fort Bragg police said Wednesday in a news release.

The investigation began Nov. 3 when a worried parent told officers of inappropriate activity on their child’s Facebook account, according to Sgt. Brandon Lee.

An investigation found the child and another person had exchanged several inappropriate photos, including some of adult male genitalia, which were sent to the child, Lee said.

Four months of investigation included officers obtaining multiple search warrants for cellphones, Internet access and efforts to determine the location of the person sending the photos. The information led to a travel trailer in Upper Lake where Pippert was living, Lee said.

On Saturday, officers searched the trailer and found child pornography in plain sight, Lee said. Pippert was arrested on suspicion of sending harmful materials to a child, contact with a child while intending to commit crimes and sexual exploitation of a child. Officers still are investigating other possible charges.

Pippert Wednesday was in the Mendocino County Jail.

Lee didn’t release the age or gender of the victim.

You can reach Staff Writer Randi Rossmann at 521-5412 or randi.rossmann@pressdemocrat.com. Or Twitter@rossmannreport.