CHiPs star appears at Virginia Capitol to urge funds to combat child porn

It's been a great legislative session for the 1970s.

First, Crooner Wayne Newton and actress Sissy Spacek came to talk up their pet causes at the state Capitol. Today, Erik Estrada, a TV star best known for his role as "Ponch" on the popular show CHiPs traveled from his Southern California home to talk about the funding needed to fight child pornography.

Estrada appeared at a news conference with House Majority Leader Morgan Griffith (R) and state Sen. Creigh Deeds (D) to urge passage of a bill that would add $10 to every criminal conviction to generate at least $1.8 million each year to help fund the state's two task forces that focus on Internet crimes against children.

"When you see a nine year-old -- forget a nine-year-old -- when you see an 11-month baby girl victimized by an adult, it's just what's going on out there. You've got to help us get us to where this has got to be,'' he said. "It's nasty and we can do something about it....The Internet is a great tool for education and attaining information. It's also the greatest hangout for sexual predators."

Estrada, 60, who wore a navy blue suit and a red, white and blue tie, looked remarkably like he did way back when he played a police officer on the 1970s TV show. He was followed around by legislators, staffers and visitors who wanted to take his photo.

In recent years, he taken a real life interest in police work, becoming a certified member of the Southern Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and a reserve officer in Muncie, Indiana.

Photo courtesy of Jill Watson Ross, Office of Majority Leader Morgan Griffith