Investigators say a man recorded himself while he sexually assaulted a baby and then distributed the video on the internet. 17 News obtained copies of the federal arrest warrant and we want to warn you the details of this investigation are disturbing.
The California Best Inn on Wible Road is where federal investigators say a Bakersfield baby was raped by Shawn McCormack in March of 2009. The investigation dates back to November 2010 when Homeland Security was investigating a separate case in Boston, Massachusetts involving child porn.
That's when investigators found a video linked to Bakersfield. Court documents indicate the video begins with a nude male who appears to be 11 months old lying on his back on a bed, his hands bound to his legs by electrical tape. The details are too graphic to reveal.
At approximately 3 minutes the adult male covers the minor's mouth with his left hand. A muffled crying noise can be heard. Court documents say the television show Family Matters is heard and seen playing on the hotel television. Immediately after, a Pepperidge Farms chocolate commercial aired. Investigators determined the episode and commercial aired on March 28, 2009.
On September 9, 2011, agents discovered the California Best Inn had purchased furniture that matched the furniture in the video. Investigators were able to enhance an image from the video. They say, a curtain along the vanity matched room 221.
A federal grand jury subpoenaed the hotel and recovered a receipt that showed Shawn McCormack stayed in Room 221 at the hotel on March 28, 2009.
When investigators searched McCormack's home in Black Forest Colorado, the forensics teams discovered 4,000 images and 365 videos of child pornography.
Records revealed McCormack was arrested for child endangerment on November 6, 2009 in Bakersfield. Bakersfield Police contacted the family who filed the complaint against McCormack and the family then confirmed it was their child in the pornographic video.
McCormack is in federal custody in Colorado. He is awaiting extradition to Fresno where he will face a federal judge. He is being charged with sexual exploitation of children.
