SAN MATEO, Calif. - A 66-year-old man is in custody after digital devices with child sexual abuse material (CSAM) were left behind in a San Francisco International Airport hotel room, leading to a multi-state investigation, officials say.
Digital device left behind
What we know:
The San Mateo County Sheriff's Office issued a news release on Wednesday that said the material was discovered by an employee at SFO's Grand Hyatt Hotel on January 30. Officials said the San Francisco Police Department responded to the room, but requested sheriff's office detectives continue the investigation.
In February 2026, sheriff's officials notified the Marana Police Department of their findings.
Once a joint investigation was launched, thousands of inappropriate images were discovered and linked to a suspect.
After obtaining a search warrant and peering over video evidence, officials identified Steven Davison, of Marana, Arizona, as a person of interest, officials said.
Davison's subsequent arrest came after a months-long multi-state investigation that involved several departments, including the SFPD, San Mateo County Sheriff's Office, and Marana Police Department alongside the Silicon Valley Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
Thousands of images
Dig deeper:
Working with Silicon Valley’s task force, an examination of the evidence began, and it revealed thousands of images of victims ranging from young children to teenagers, the sheriff's office said.
It wasn’t until May when Marana PD obtained a search warrant for Davinson’s home. The warrant was served by a detective and the police department on May 7, who then uncovered additional evidence.
Davinson was arrested and booked into the Pima County Detention Center on multiple Arizona charges, including a San Mateo County charge for possession of child sexual abuse material, officials said.
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 San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office thanked MPD and Silicon Valley ICAC for their help with this investigation.
The Source: San Mateo County Sheriff's Office news release
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