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In June 2017 Detectives assisted FBI with a search warrant in the 9000 block of Johnson Trail in Valley Springs. FBI obtained a search warrant for child pornography. The warrant was obtained on child pornography traded with an undercover law enforcement officer. As a result of the search warrant an arrest warrant was issued in September 2017. On 9/25/2017 Nicholas Watkins was arrested by CCSO Detectives and FBI Agents at his place of business in Mountain Ranch.

The US Attorney's Office issued a release regarding this matter on 10/15. The content is as follows:

VALLEY SPRINGS MAN SENTENCED TO 25 YEARS FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY OFFENSE

FRESNO, Calif. - Nicholas Carroll Watkins, 30, of Valley Springs, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O'Neill to 25 years in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release for receiving material involving the sexual exploitation of minors, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. Watkins will also be required to register as a sex offender.

According to a criminal complaint and sentencing documents, Watkins used Kik Messenger and SayHi, which are messaging applications based outside the United States, to engage in sexually explicit communications with other adults as well as numerous minor females. Watkins discussed his sexual interest in children and often solicited and received sexually explicit images directly from minors.

This case was the result of an investigation by the Miami, Florida and Stockton, California offices of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the "resources" tab for information about internet safety education.