For Immediate Release: September 3, 2008

LAKE FOREST MAN ARRESTED FOR POSSESSION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY – S.A.F.E. TEAM SEEKS POSSIBLE VICTIMS IN CALIFORNIA AND OTHER STATES

Members of the Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement Team (SAFE Team) arrested George Harcourt Bull, 58, of Lake Forest, for the alleged possession of child pornography, announced Salvador Hernandez, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI in Los Angeles and Thomas P. O’Brien, United States Attorney in Los Angeles. Bull was arrested at his home in Lake Forest at approximately 2:00p.m. this afternoon. An affidavit was filed in U.S. District Court in Orange County today in support of a criminal complaint, a federal arrest warrant and search warrant of Bull’s Lake Forest residence, where SAFE Team members will seek evidence of possession, receipt and distribution of child pornography; as well as enticement of a minor to engage in a criminal sex act. According to the affidavit filed in support of the complaint and the search warrant, Bull was engaging in chat sessions with a 13-year-old minor male who resides in Arizona. In June 2008, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a tip from a concerned father in Arizona who advised that his 13 year old son was engaging in on-line web-camming and chat sessions with an individual who used the screen name “joeycal.” Joeycal had communicated with the minor via instant messages and text messages, using graphic language to describe sexual behavior. Initial investigation identified “joeycal” as George Harcourt Bull of Lake Forest. Investigation further revealed that Bull has a profile on “MySpace” and as someone affiliated with the Youth Referee Program with American Youth Soccer Organization. The minor’s father in Arizona forwarded photographs to SAFE Team investigators of a man identified as Bull that had been sent to his minor son. According to the complaint, Bull told investigators that he would view child pornography daily via websites. A forensic preview of Bull’s computer revealed sexually explicit photographs of prepubescent males, numerous images of child pornography and of minors with whom Bull may have had contact. Specifically, investigators found images of three unknown prepubescent minor Hispanic males in the company of Bull and another elderly Caucasian male. These images appear to have been taken inside the bedroom and living room of Bull’s residence and in the residential community pool where he resides. The minor males, Bull, and the unknown elderly adult male were partially clothed in most of the images. In some of the images where they are partially clothed, Bull was depicted with his arms wrapped around the torsos of the minor Hispanic males while they are sitting on his lap. According to the complaint, Bull is actively involved in AYSO soccer in Orange County, California, where he is a soccer coach, a youth referee coordinator, and an AYSO board member. In addition, Bull told SAFE Team investigators that he is a substitute teacher at the Esperanza School in Mission Viejo, where he teaches children of all ages with special needs. Based on the evidence collected thus far, investigators believe Bull may have had sexual contact with minor children and are, therefore, releasing his photograph so that possible victims will contact the SAFE Team. The SAFE Team in Orange County can be contacted at 714 542-8825, or in Los Angeles at 310 477-6565. Bull is expected to make his initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Santa Ana on Thursday, September 4th. This case is ongoing and is being investigated by Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement (SAFE) Team, a task force which investigates the sexual exploitation of children. In additional to the FBI, the SAFE Team is made up of investigators with the California Department of Justice, the United States Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the California Highway Patrol, the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office and the United States Attorney’s Office in Orange County. A criminal complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. ### CONTACTS: FBI Press Office in Los Angeles : Laura Eimiller: 310 996-3343 U.S. Attorney’s Office: Thom Mrozek: 213 894-6947