Top soccer referee faces child porn charge

Timon Berry is a nationally ranked soccer referee criss-crossing the country to officiate matches for the National Women's Soccer league including the Seattle Reign.

But federal agents allege the 28-year-old Bellingham man is also a collector of child pornography, something they uncovered in an investigation begun in 2012.

Neighbor Monte Richardson remembers the day last January when FBI agents showed up at Berry's house.

"Sure enough all these FBI guys with suits and everything else came up and went to the four corners of the house," said Richardson, who lives across the street from the house where Berry lives with his parents.

"The son opened the door and basically just agreed to let them come in as far as I could tell," Richard said.

According to court documents, after Berry let the agents in, he told them he was a soccer referee for youth to semi-pro adult matches.

He told them he "liked pornography ... especially .. role-play scenarios."  He also admitted using the email handle agents suspected.

Besides more than 1,300 emails about pornography on his computer, agents also found sexually explicit images of children.

"Oh, my god. Crazy. That's crazy," said Richardson.

The allegations caught him by surprise.

"My wife and I have a five -month-old son, he said. "So it's kinda scary.  A lot of kids in this neighborhood."

Berry was not at home when KIRO 7 knocked on his door.

He is free pending arraignment Dec. 1.

KIRO 7 has calls into the U.S. Soccer Association about his status.

KIRO