February 7, 2025 The Newspaper Serving LGBT Los Angeles

Former Beverly Hills Therapist Indicted for Alleged Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Material

Suspect Faces Federal Charges Following Investigation into Online Activity

A former licensed marriage and family therapist based in Beverly Hills has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of distributing child sexual abuse material, according to an announcement made by the Justice Department today.

Ron Gad, 49, residing in the Pico-Robertson area of Los Angeles, was charged Thursday with one count of distribution of child pornography. Gad, whose marriage and family therapist license expired in November 2023, is currently out on a $250,000 bond. He is expected to appear for arraignment on May 3 in the United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.

According to the indictment, Gad allegedly distributed child sexual abuse material (CSAM) involving a pre-teen via the internet on December 2, 2021. The material was transported across state lines.

Previously filed court documents reveal that in the fall of 2022, law enforcement discovered Gad engaging in sexually explicit online conversations with an individual he believed to be a 13-year-old girl. However, the recipient was an undercover law enforcement officer.

In October 2022, Gad purportedly traveled over 180 miles from Beverly Hills to San Luis Obispo for a rendezvous at a public park, under the impression he would meet the “girl.” Upon arrival, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop, leading to Gad’s arrest and seizure of multiple digital devices, as per an affidavit filed with a criminal complaint.

Subsequent searches of Gad’s digital devices, authorized by a search warrant, allegedly revealed evidence of his distribution of CSAM, along with communications with suspected minors and internet searches related to sex with minors.

The San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office initially pressed charges against Gad in state court, which were subsequently dismissed to facilitate federal charges. An indictment and complaint are allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.

If convicted, Gad could face a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison, with a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years. The investigation is being conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office.

Individuals with additional information concerning the case are encouraged to contact HSI’s tip line at (866) 347-2423.

Assistant United States Attorneys Damaris Diaz of the Violent and Organized Crimes Section and Angela C. Makabali of the Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes Section are prosecuting the case.

in NEWS
Related Posts

Open Arms Art Show Runs Through Mar. 22 in Burbank

February 6, 2025

February 6, 2025

Opening Exhibition Saturday Feb. 8 from 12 to 8p.m. More than an art show, the Open Arms Exhibition is an...

Quiet Luxury: What’s Inside the New Regent Boutique and Sweet July

February 6, 2025

February 6, 2025

The Regent Santa Monica Beach, known for its perfect Santa Monica getaways, or local dining at its Mediterranean-based restaurant Orla...

West Hollywood Deputies Arrest San Bernardino Homicide Suspect on Sierra Bonita

February 6, 2025

February 6, 2025

Man Wanted for Deadly Baseball Bat Attack Captured During Routine Patrol Deputies from the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station apprehended a...

Serial Predator David Pearce Convicted of Murders, Rape in Shocking Fentanyl Overdose Case in West LA

February 6, 2025

February 6, 2025

“Dead Girls Don’t Talk,” Fake Producer Abandoned Women’s Bodies Like Garbage A jury convicted David Brian Pearce of two counts...

Best Spots to Celebrate Valentines, Galentines, or Have a Super Bowl Party on the Westside

February 5, 2025

February 5, 2025

Cocktails, Game Day Grub, Valentine’s Pasta, and a Lonely Heart’s Tea Service You will find many excellent ways to celebrate...

FDA Issues High-Risk Recall for Pre-Packaged Broccoli Florets Sold at Walmart

February 5, 2025

February 5, 2025

Recall Is Now Classified as Class I Due to Seriousness Of Contamination The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has classified...

Matū Kai Brings Its Signature Wagyu and Famous Cheesesteak to Brentwood

February 5, 2025

February 5, 2025

Team Behind Beverly Hills’ Acclaimed Matū Is Opening a Second Location One of Beverly Hills’s newest and most popular restaurants,...

West Hollywood’s Drag Story Hour Returns for 2025 Season This Week

February 4, 2025

February 4, 2025

Family-Friendly Storytelling Series Celebrates Diversity and Inclusion The City of West Hollywood will launch its 2025 season of Drag Story...

Free Narcan to Combat Opioid Overdoses Available at the West Hollywood Library

February 4, 2025

February 4, 2025

Naloxone and Fentanyl Test Strips Are Available With No Payment or ID  In response to a rise in fentanyl and...

Influencer Florence Mirsky Responds After Her Racist Rant Is Caught in Video Footage

February 4, 2025

February 4, 2025

Viral Footage Shows Mirsky Using Slurs and Berating Valet Workers in Beverly Hills Influencer and cannabis entrepreneur Florence Mirsky, who...

 State Farm Seeks Emergency Rate Hike, Citing Wildfire Losses—Consumer Advocates Push Back

February 4, 2025

February 4, 2025

Insurer Requests up to a 38% Rate Increase, but Critics Call It an Unjustified Cash Grab In a press release...

(Video) Los Angeles Marathon Returns For 40th Anniversary

February 4, 2025

February 4, 2025

Register at mccourtfoundation.org Register at https://t.co/JUuzwhVeun pic.twitter.com/3m3wiyoBm4 — Palisades News (@PalisadesNewsLA) February 4, 2025

CCPD Seek Public’s Help in Finding Missing Elderly Man with Dementia Last Seen in Culver City

February 3, 2025

February 3, 2025

Resident Last Seen on Washington Boulevard, Public Urged to Report Any Sightings Culver City’s Police Department is asking for the...

Los Angeles County Ramps Up Storm Protections in Fire Burn Areas As Two Storms Approach

February 3, 2025

February 3, 2025

Officials Install Flood Barriers and Urge Residents To Prepare As a storm system approaches California this week, Los Angeles County...

Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar Make History at the 2025 GRAMMY Awards

February 3, 2025

February 3, 2025

Beyoncé Wins Album of the Year, Kendrick Lamar Sweeps Five Categories The 2025 GRAMMY Awards delivered a night of historic...