FBI seeks missing man in porn case

0 Comments | Deseret News (Salt Lake City), May 17, 2006

Federal agents are looking for an ex-state psychiatrist convicted of child pornography charges.

The FBI said Friday that it believes Dr. Bruce Argyle Guernsey, 54, has fled the area.

"At some point at the end of April, he failed to check in with pre-trial release and we started looking for him," said FBI special agent Patrick Kiernan. "He appeared to be doing things that made it seem he was getting ready to leave the area."

Guernsey pleaded guilty in federal court in March to a single charge of possession of child pornography. He surrendered his license to practice psychiatry in April. The FBI said it was the last time that Guernsey was known to be in the area. Kiernan said it is possible Guernsey fled to avoid his July 19 sentencing. Guernsey faces up to 20 years in federal prison.

In August 2005, federal prosecutors charged Guernsey with receiving child pornography. Guernsey asked an acquaintance to transfer files from an old hard drive to a new computer. That acquaintance discovered illicit images of children and contacted the FBI, Kiernan said.

Guernsey is described as white, 5 feet 9 inches tall, 145 pounds with brown eyes and brown/gray hair. Anyone with information about Guernsey's whereabouts should contact the FBI at 801-579-1400.