Berkeley sex offender hit with new child pornography case
A "cyber tip" led Berkeley police to Storea Hassas, court papers show. It wasn't his first offense.
A Berkeley sex offender is facing new charges this month related to the felony distribution of child sexual abuse material, court papers show.
The Alameda County DA's office charged Storea Hassas in early September with distributing child pornography with a prior, according to court papers: namely, a 2017 conviction for possession of child pornography that also took place in Berkeley.
Detectives in BPD's Youth Services Division began investigating the case in April after getting a "cyber tip" from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children about a Berkeley resident who possessed Child Sexual Abuse Material.
As they investigated the case, they determined that resident was Hassas, police wrote.
Authorities ultimately executed a search warrant at his apartment on University Avenue and "seized several electronics," BPD wrote in charging papers.
According to his listing on the Megan's Law website, Hassas had been required to register as a sex offender after police found more than 600 images, including victims under 12, of "obscene matter depicting [minors] in sexual conduct" in 2017.
Storea Hassas. BPD
At the time, Hassas told police he had "been downloading child pornography for 10 years," according to previous reporting.
Hassas also has convictions for vehicle theft and home burglary, both from March 2006, according to charging papers.
He was arraigned on the new case on Sept. 4 and released on his own recognizance.
During that hearing, Judge Michael Risher ordered Hassas not to possess child pornography or any electronic devices that could store photos, according to court papers.
The judge also ordered Hassas to stay off the internet and show up for future court dates.
He is set to return to court for a pretrial hearing Oct. 2.
