Two Sacramento Men Face Charges In National Child Pornography Bust

CITRUS HEIGHTS (CBS13) - Two local men are facing federal child pornography charges after being swept up in Operation Sunflower, a worldwide effort to hunt down sexual predators.

Dozens of children were rescued in the crackdown.

Robert Roberson didn't want to talk to CBS13 about his legal troubles. The 65-year-old slammed the door when CBS13's Steve Large asked about the charges he was facing.

Roberson may live in a nice home on a quiet Citrus Heights cul-de-sac, but he's facing a shameful federal charge of receiving and distributing child pornography.

"It's a grim number if you think about it. There are that many perpetrators in our area, in our own back yard," said Mike Prado, Homeland Security.

Roberson's arrest was part of an international operation by federal agents called Operation Sunflower, which led to more than 200 arrests in the U.S. and overseas.

Forty-four children were identified and rescued, including a 7-year-old disabled California girl.

Another Sacramento man was also arrested in the sweep. Albert Lee Mitchell allegedly had more than 40,000 images of child porn on his computer. He was arrested one day before an alleged planned trip to Argentina. Children's clothes and toys were found in his luggage.

If convicted, both men face up to 20 years in prison.