LOS ANGELES — The State Bar Court of California recently placed David Dale Lamb, a San Diego attorney, on an interim suspension after a criminal investigation alleged he was in possession of child pornography.
According to the Dec. 12 decision, the investigation into Lamb began in August 2014 when a special agent with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in San Diego received a tip from a Canadian law enforcement agent that alerted the department to three websites that had recently been shared in a chat room. The links led to video files of minors performing sexual acts, and each traced back to the same IP address.
DHS, with the help of Cox Communications, located the IP address and alleged it belonged to Lamb. A search warrant was issued in September, and investigators allegedly found more than 800 files of child pornography on the attorney’s computer.
Lamb was charged with possessing and distributing child pornography. The attorney pleaded not guilty.
Upon receiving notice of the criminal charges, the California State Bar placed Lamb on an interim suspension to further investigate the attorney’s actions and determine if further discipline is warranted. The suspension also allows time for the attorney to appeal any conviction. Lamb was also placed on unpaid leave by his employer.
Lamb obtained his law degree from the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law and was admitted to the California State Bar in 1998. The attorney had no prior record of discipline.