Ukiah Man Arrested After Undercover Sting; Already on Parole for Child Sex Offense
Christopher G. Purtill [Photo provided to the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation]
A Ukiah man already on parole for a child sex crime was arrested last week after an undercover operation caught him engaging in explicit conversations with someone he believed to be a 13-year-old boy, according to the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office.
Christopher G. Purtill, 36, was taken into custody May 7 near his Ukiah home by detectives working with the Ukiah Police Department and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. He was booked into the Mendocino County Jail on a parole violation.
Detectives with the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office, working alongside the Silicon Valley Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, launched the undercover chat investigation in April 2026. During the operation, Purtill allegedly communicated explicitly with an undercover agent posing as a 13-year-old boy.
Purtill is a registered sex offender and convicted felon currently on active parole for PC 288(a), lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14.
On May 12, detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Purtill on charges of PC 647.6(c)(2), annoying or molesting a child with a prior conviction. He remains in custody in Mendocino County and will be transferred to San Mateo County at a later date, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Purtill is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office Investigations Bureau at 650-599-1536 or submit an anonymous tip at 1-800-547-2700.
Join the discussion! For rules visit: https://kymkemp.com/commenting-rules
Comments system how-to: https://wpdiscuz.com/community/postid/10599/
He scares me.
Why was he out!!! Capital punishment for child predators!!
Bring back firing squads.
I was always suspicious when they said they dumped his body in the ocean.
Perverts often just look weird. Why is that? Child molesters often have rubbery facial features although Mr. Purtill here doesnt. He looks plenty weird in any case.
Because there’s something wrong in their head and they are weird, so of course they look weird.
This is why vigilante justice is alive and well in the USA. Billionaires just like trump and his pedophile friends he protects prevented penal codes from permanently removing pedophiles from society. It is the wealthiest amongst us who make these decisions concerning penal codes.
His eyes though , i would bet money he has killed someone at some point in his life. I normally tend to really try to give benefit of doubt to the accused however this person is not the average accused either .
they say eyes are windows to the soul and this persons seem to have left a long time ago
I’m curious how did Donald Trump prevent the police from catching pedophiles? They didn’t catch them in the 90s or 2000s and it’s supposed to be trumps fault. Not the stupidist thing I have heard lately, but in the top ten. IF YOU WANT TO BLAME SOMEONE LOOK AT YOUR GOVERNOR!
Maybe you replied to the wrong person ? I have not mentioned trump at all so not sure why you directed this to me