FBI seeks California firefighter who may have faked his death while facing federal charges
A California firefighter who reportedly drowned in a boating accident while facing a child pornography charge may have staged his death, according to the FBI. The agency is searching for him on a federal warrant for failing to appear in court.
Charles Johnathen Harris, 46, reportedly drowned in a boating accident in Suisun Bay, northeast of San Francisco, on April 4, 2023. In a notice on Tuesday, the FBI’s San Francisco division said the circumstances “warrant further scrutiny, including the possibility that his death was staged.”
A federal arrest warrant was issued on April 21, 2023, in the Northern District of California after he was charged with failure to appear. The FBI did not explain what evidence led investigators to question the reported drowning.
A grand jury had indicted the suspect on March 2, 2023, on a charge of possessing child pornography. He was living in Coulterville, California, and working for the Alameda County Fire Department at the time, according to federal prosecutors.
Prosecutors said the investigation began after authorities received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Investigators allegedly found that the suspect uploaded child pornography through the messaging platform Kik, including while at Alameda County fire stations.
He surrendered to federal authorities and was released on bond with restrictions on his internet access, according to a 2023 statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California.
The FBI describes the suspect as a white man with red hair and blue eyes, standing 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing about 220 pounds. He has light burn scars on his hands and has used the names Chuck Harris and Charlie Harris.
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
