Child sex abuse earns Red Bluff man 30-year term
Former Red Bluff resident, Sean E. Karjala, has been sentenced to 30 years in prison and a life term of supervised release for production of child sexual abuse material, reported U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert.
The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez in federal court, the judge stating the sentence will be served concurrently with his state sentence of 36 years to life for the attempted murder of California Highway Patrol Officer Chad Barnes back on April 27, 2013.
According to court documents, in 2013, Karjala engaged in a months-long inappropriate sexual relationship with a minor female victim after she answered an online Craigslist advertisement.
It is reported by the court, Karjala repeatedly raped the minor victim and subjected her to bondage and other physical abuse, as well as manipulating her into sexual activity with another female while Karjala took photos of the activity with his cellphone camera.
Karjala's arrest came about after the suspect communicated with an undercover police officer whom he believed was another minor female, leading investigators to make a search of Karjala's residence, according to federal documents.
During the search, investigators said they found multiple sexual bondage materials including a matching pink and white ankle and wrist cuff set and a collar that Karjala had described in conversations with the undercover officer. They reportedly also found clothing commonly associated with younger females and a photo of Karjala and the victim.
In Karjala's vehicle, investigators allegedly found a duffle bag containing a bondage manual, condoms, and a local high school counseling slip with the victim's name. On his cellphone, investigators reported locating numerous images of the victim engaged in sexual acts with another female.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Tehama County Sheriff's Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Heiko P. Coppola and Roger Yang prosecuted the case.
The case concerning Karjala's attempted murder of the CHP officer, he was pulled over by Officer Barnes for speeding on Highway 299 near Weaverville in Trinity County. During the traffic stop, Karjala allegedly pulled out a hatchet, which he wielded while running at the officer.
Barnes shot Karjala, who initially went down, but then reportedly got up and again came at the officer who was calling for back-up and an ambulance, according to court documents.
Karjala was flown to Mercy Medical Center in Redding for treatment of his injuries.
In court documents Karjala said he was despondent at the time of his attack on the officer due to the fact he was looking at going to prison for a previous arrest.
That arrest occurred on April 4, 2013 in Tehama County when Tehama County Sheriff's Capt. David Kain (now Sheriff Kain) made a traffic stop on Karjala, who failed to yield to lights and siren before stopping and running from the van he was driving, court documents state.
After Kain caught Karjala, it reportedly took several officers to handcuff him as he struggled to get free.
