A former Los Angeles television news producer Monday agreed to plead guilty to a federal charge alleging he distributed videos and images of child pornography in an online chat room.
Phil Drechsler, 61, of Santa Clarita, who worked for KNBC-TV until he departed in February 2023, allegedly shared more than 100 videos, images and other types of files depicting child pornography between August 2020 and June 2021, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
He has agreed to plead guilty in downtown Los Angeles to a single federal count of distribution of child pornography on a date to be determined, according to the plea agreement.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment last year on three counts of distribution of child pornography. The charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years imprisonment with a possible maximum of up to 20 years, prosecutors noted.
Drechsler’s plea agreement, filed Monday in Los Angeles federal court, states that in exchange for his plea, prosecutors agree to recommend that he be sentenced to a term of imprisonment no higher than the statutory minimum for the single charge. The defendant states he would not oppose the imposition of a term of supervised release of no less than 20 years following prison, according to the plea deal.
An affidavit filed with a criminal complaint in April 2023 states that Drechsler, using the alias “Karen Flores,” was a member of an online community of people who regularly sent and received child pornography via a group chat.
Authorities executing a search warrant at Drechsler’s home found what appeared to be child sexual abuse material in the recently deleted photo album folder of his cell phone, according to the affidavit signed by FBI Special Agent Chelsea Malone.
Drechsler tweeted in February 2023 that he had been laid off from KNBC. He had apparently worked at the station for 11 years.
“Short story: I was offered a buyout, turned it down, was laid off with all the provisions of the buy out,” he tweeted. “I’ll skip the long story.”
He also posted: “I still feel young. Let’s see what the next chapter brings.”
Prosecutors said Drechsler was arrested in April 2023 in Cincinnati and ordered detained by a magistrate judge.