Alameda County fire captain arrested over child sex crimes: Police

DUBLIN, Calif. - An Alameda County firefighter and captain was among those arrested during an investigation into "cracking down on child sex predators," by Modesto police, and on Friday, the Alameda County Fire Department acknowledged one of their fire personnel was among the suspects.

Kip Weber, 48, was arrested on Feb. 28 for allegedly attempting lewd acts with a child under 14, engaging in lewd communication with a minor, distributing harmful material to a minor and possessing child pornography, Modesto police said. 

Weber's arrest was one of 12 during undercover operations by the department's Special Crimes Unit targeting people attempting to interact with children for sexual purposes, police officials said. 

Officials said during their operations 12 people were identified for sending explicit images, videos, and messages to people they believed were minors. 

Investigators began their operations into child sex exploitation in May 2024. Among the arrested was a registered sex offender. 

While it wasn't immediately made clear when Weber began working for the department, in 2020, he was promoted to fire captain, according to a social media post.

Weber has since bonded out of custody, records show.

What they're saying:

The Modesto Police Department acknowledged Weber is an Alameda County firefighter and said they notified the fire department following his arrest, but said they had no additional information to provide. 

"The safety of our children is our top priority. These arrests send a clear message—Modesto will not tolerate child predators in our community... Every arrest made in these operations is one less predator that can harm a child," said Police Sgt. Alex Rivera.

Rivera oversees the Special Crimes Unit behind the investigations.

The other side:

The Alameda County Fire Department confirmed an employee was taken into custody on Feb. 28. Officials didn't confirm the firefighter's identity or position, but said the employee in question has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome. 

"Our department supports our law enforcement partners and fully cooperates with all agencies involved while the investigation continues," said ACFD Fire Chief William McDonald.

"I want to ensure you that the members of ACFD will remain committed to upholding the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, and accountability. Our residents' safety and trust are the highest priority at all levels."

ACFD officials said they will provide updates when more information becomes available, but at this time, they cannot disclose more and said Modesto police are handling the criminal investigation.

Dig deeper:

A total of 21 people were arrested during the crackdown. On March 5-6 this year, nine more suspects were arrested for possession of child pornography with the assistance of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. 

One of the suspects was also a juvenile and another an already registered sex offender.

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