SACRAMENTO, CA — Darrin Bell, a Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist for The Washington Post, was arrested Wednesday in Sacramento County on suspicion of possessing child pornography, authorities announced.
Bell, 49, was taken into custody by Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) detectives after a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children led to an investigation.
During a search of Bell’s home, investigators reportedly discovered 134 videos of child pornography linked to an account controlled by Bell. Authorities also found computer-generated and artificial intelligence (AI) child pornography, marking the first time Sacramento Valley ICAC has made an arrest under a new law criminalizing AI-generated child exploitation material.
Bell gained national recognition for his editorial cartoons, contributing to major outlets including The Washington Post. In 2019, he became the first African American to win the Pulitzer Prize for editorial cartooning.
Bell has previously described his work as aiming to promote respect for human dignity, often tackling political and social justice issues through satire. Most of his work featured political attacks on President Donald J. Trump and Republicans.