Sonora, CA…A Sierra Village man was arrested following an investigation of possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material. The arrest comes after a thorough investigation prompted by a report by a vigilant Walmart employee who observed suspicious activity at the photo center kiosk Tuesday evening. The employee noticed a customer attempting to print obscene material depicting a minor, and the Police Department was promptly notified.

The suspect, later identified as 58-year-old John S. Oberwager, became nervous about the employee’s attention and left the store before officers arrived. The Sonora Police Department was able to identify Oberwager with help from store surveillance and served a search warrant at his Sierra Village home Wednesday afternoon.

Oberwager is a registered sex offender after previous convictions of lewd and lascivious acts with a child under the age of 14 in 1992. Oberwager was located by Officer’s shortly after the search of his residence and taken into custody. He was booked at the Tuolumne County Jail on felony charges, and the Court granted a bail enhancement of $100,000.

This case remains open and the investigation is ongoing. No additional information is available at this time.
It’s important to remember that the individuals mentioned in this report were arrested based on suspicion of the crimes they’ve been charged with. All such charges are mere allegations, and all defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty. This principle is the bedrock of our legal system and should be respected by all.