An investigation into images sold online of a young girl being sexually abused led authorities to a victim in Newman and the arrest of a Modesto man, who was recently convicted on several charges, the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office announced.

District Attorney Jeff Laugero announced on Friday that Brian Keith Ollar, 52, of Modesto, was convicted of continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14. 

The investigation into this crime started in February 2024 when the FBI alerted local authorities that they had discovered sexual images of a young child being sold on the dark web. The ‘dark web’ is a part of the internet that is only accessible by means of special software and is designed to allow users and website operators to remain anonymous or untraceable.

Investigative techniques identified that the sexual images were taken at a home in Newman.

The Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office immediately initiated a local investigation, which led to the discovery of the victim that was depicted in the sexual images and the arrest of Ollar. 

The investigation demonstrated that Ollar had sexually abused the victim over a period of nearly four years at a residence in Newman. The sexual abuse started when the victim was 7 years of age. The victim confirmed she was the child in the images discovered by the FBI and detailed the sexual abuse she suffered at the hands of Ollar, according to the district attorney’s office. 

Ollar will be sentenced on Sept. 30.  This conviction is a “strike” under California’s ‘Three Strikes Law’ and will require Ollar to register as a sex offender. 

This successful investigation and conviction was made possible due to the efforts of the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Special Victims Unit, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the District Attorney’s Special Victims Unit. Deputy District Attorney Sameer Shukla prosecuted the case for the People.