Two Men Arrested on Child Pornography Charges





Lane County, OR — On January 30, detectives from the Lane County Sheriff's Office and Oregon State Police served search warrants at two separate residences in connection with ongoing investigations into child exploitation.

Ralph Anthony Pocza, 41, was arrested at a home in the 900 block of W. 1st Avenue in Junction City. He faces 10 counts of Encouraging Child Sex Abuse in the 1st Degree and 10 counts of Encouraging Child Sex Abuse in the 2nd Degree. Pocza was booked into the Lane County Jail.

Later, authorities executed a second search warrant at a residence in the 26800 block of Petzold Road, southwest of Eugene, where Gregory John Shepherd, 60, was taken into custody. Shepherd also faces 10 counts of Encouraging Child Sex Abuse in the 1st Degree and 10 counts of Encouraging Child Sex Abuse in the 2nd Degree. He, too, is being held at the Lane County Jail.

Both arrests stemmed from separate investigations by the Lane County Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. While there are no indications of local victims at this time, the charges relate to the possession of child pornography.

The investigation, which was supported by the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Oregon Department of Justice, is ongoing. Local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies continue their efforts to combat child exploitation and protect vulnerable members of the community.

No further details are available at this time.


Information from the Lane County Sheriff's Office. 


Michael Weber, known for his extensive coverage of crime news in Lane County, continues to provide valuable updates to the local community. He runs the largest crime watch group in Lane County, Lane County Mugshots Uncensored, which currently has over 84,700 members. Support for local journalism is essential, and donations can be made via Venmo to @Michael-Weber-379 (last four digits of phone number: 0825).

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