San Mateo County CSAM Investigation Leads to Arrest of Arizona Man
SAN MATEO COUNTY, CA — June 10th, 2026 — “Child sexual abuse material (CSAM) discovered at a hotel in unincorporated San Mateo County led to a multi-state investigation that uncovered thousands of images and resulted in the arrest of an Arizona man.
On Jan. 30, 2026, the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) responded to the Grand Hyatt Hotel at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) after a hotel employee discovered digital devices containing CSAM that had been left behind in a hotel room.
SFPD requested that San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office detectives respond to the hotel to continue the investigation. Although SFPD handles day-to-day calls for service at SFO, long-term investigations are led by the Sheriff’s Office Airport Bureau.
Sheriff’s Office detectives confirmed the devices contained CSAM and immediately began an investigation to identify the suspect who left them at the hotel.
Detectives obtained a search warrant and recovered video evidence identifying the suspect as 66-year-old Steven Davison of Marana, Arizona.
The Sheriff’s Office began working with the Silicon Valley Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), which conducted a forensic examination of the evidence. ICAC investigators uncovered thousands of CSAM images involving victims ranging from young children to teenagers.
In February 2026, the Sheriff’s Office notified the Marana Police Department (MPD) and a joint investigation began.
In May 2026, MPD obtained a search warrant for his home. On May 7, 2026, a Sheriff’s Office detective assisted MPD in serving the warrant, which uncovered additional evidence.
Davison was subsequently arrested and booked into the Pima County Adult Detention Center on multiple Arizona charges, including a San Mateo County charge for violation of Penal Code 311.11(A) – possession of child sexual abuse material.
The San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office has since filed charges against Davison. He is currently out of custody on bail in Arizona and awaiting a future court date.
The Sheriff’s Office thanks MPD and Silicon Valley ICAC for their collaboration with this investigation.”
