East Bay resident gets 8½ years in federal prison for receiving child pornography

BRENTWOOD — A Brentwood man has been sentenced to 8½ years in federal prison for receiving child pornography and possessing an unregistered short-barreled rifle, authorities said.

U.S. District Judge Haywood S. Gilliam Jr. sentenced 44-year-old Michael Patterson to 103 months behind bars, after Patterson pleaded guilty to the crimes in May, according to a statement from U.S. Attorney Craig Missakian of the Northern District of California.

A federal grand jury indicted Patterson in April 2024.

Missakian said that in the guilty plea, Patterson admitted he tried to meet a person he believed to be a 13-year-old girl for sex. Authorities subsequently found more than 600 videos and 1,000 images depicting minors engaging in sexual conduct, Missakian said.

Authorities found a short-barreled rifle in his possession, as well. Missakian said Patterson admitted the gun was not registered with the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, as required by law.