Non-Practicing Nevada Attorney Seized in San Clemente : Man May Be Tied to International Porno Ring

A non-practicing Boulder City, Nev., attorney arrested in California on sex charges may be involved in an international child pornography ring, the FBI said Thursday.

Leland Ernest Stevenson Jr., 45, was arrested by police in San Clemente on Wednesday on state charges of a lewd act with a child, according to Las Vegas FBI Special Agent John Schreiber.

Schreiber said Stevenson was carrying large quantities of pornography at the time of his arrest.

Based upon information from California authorities, FBI agents and Boulder City police, armed with a search warrant, searched Stevenson’s Boulder City home and seized thousands of items, including pornographic magazines, photographs, motion pictures and tapes.

“We have indications that this was international in scope,” said Schreiber. “This gentleman apparently maintains a residence in India, has traveled to Africa, Asia and a number of European countries. and we have two residences for him in Washington, D.C.”

Stevenson, who listed his occupation at the time of his arrest as an investment counselor, was released on $5,000 bail and reportedly was en route home to Boulder City.

A federal court Thursday in Southern California issued a warrant for Stevenson’s arrest on federal charges of interstate transportation of obscene material and the sexual exploitation of children.

“Apparently he was involved in every aspect of it from photographs that depict him and male subjects, to producing them, to distributing them to importing them,” Schreiber said.

Officials said 95% of the material seized involved males, from infants to boys in their late teens. Much of the material was from Europe.

Boulder City Police Chief Robert Lowrie said Stevenson has lived in the small city for three or four years.

“At one time we had indications of him providing a safe house for truant teen-agers--high school students,” Lowrie said.

“We investigated that and found there was insufficient evidence at that time and no charges were filed.”

Lowrie said once his department completed its investigation, evidence would be turned over the Clark County district attorney’s office for possible prosecution on Nevada state charges.

Officials said Stevenson’s various passports were confiscated to reduce the man’s risk of flight.