Three Pennsylvania Men, Suspected Child Predators, Arrested During Undercover Investigation
Sunday, August 31, 2014
press release
HARRISBURG - Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane today announced the arrest of three Pennsylvania men on unrelated charges as part of ongoing efforts to target the online sharing and distribution of child pornography.
The latest arrests occurred over the past week in Allegheny and Philadelphia counties.
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Daniel Stewart
According to the criminal complaint, Daniel Stewart, 29, 408 Sharon Road, Apt. 104 A, Coraopolis, Allegheny County, used a peer-to-peer network in order to make files - containing prepubescent children engaged in graphic sexual acts - available for download. Agents conducting an undercover investigation successfully downloaded those files and through the computer's IP address identified Stewart's Allegheny County apartment as the source.
A search of Stewart's residence resulted in the seizure of a laptop and other electronic devices, which contained apparent child pornography. Stewart was taken into custody on Thursday, Aug. 28, 2014, and charged with six counts of possession of child pornography, three counts of distribution of child pornography and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.
Attorney General Kane thanked the Moon Township Police Department for its assistance with the investigation. The case will be prosecuted in Allegheny County by Deputy Attorney General Anthony Marmo of the Office of Attorney General's Child Predator Section.
Barry Burton
The charges state that agents, who were conducting an online investigation, identified a computer on a peer-to-peer network making several media files - believed to depict child pornography - available for download. The computer's IP address was later identified as serving the home of Barry Burton, 54, 408 W. Penn St., Philadelphia.
Burton was arrested on Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2014, and charged with 20 counts of possession of child pornography, three counts of distribution of child pornography and one count of criminal use of a communication facility. He was preliminarily arraigned and held in the Philadelphia Prison in lieu of $75,000 - 10 percent bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Sept. 16, 2014.
Attorney General Kane thanked the Philadelphia Police Department for its assistance with the investigation. The case will be prosecuted in Philadelphia County by Deputy Attorney General Rebecca Elo of the Office of Attorney General's Child Predator Section.
Kareaan Moss
Kareaan Moss, 28, 4055 N. 12th St., Philadelphia, was arrested on Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2014, following an undercover investigation into the dissemination of child pornography. Agents, who were conducting an online investigation, identified a computer on a peer-to-peer network sharing media files believed to depict explicit images of children.
According to the criminal complaint, agents successfully downloaded two of those files, which depicted children engaged in graphic sexual acts and or poses. The computer's IP address was identified as serving Moss's Philadelphia residence.
Agents, along with officers from the Philadelphia Police Department executed a search of the residence and seized a computer, which forensics agents found to contain more than 36 image and video files of apparent child pornography. Moss is charged with 15 counts of possession of child pornography, two counts of distribution of child pornography and one count of criminal use of a communication facility. He was held in the Philadelphia County Prison in lieu of $50,000 - 10 percent bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Sept. 11, 2014.
The case will be prosecuted in Philadelphia County by Deputy Attorney General Rebecca Elo of the Office of Attorney General's Child Predator Section.
Attorney General Kane thanked the Philadelphia Police Department for its assistance with the investigation.
Reporting Internet Predators
Suspected Internet predators can be reported to the Office of Attorney General's Child Predator Section by calling the Child Predator Hotline at 1-800-385-1044. Anonymous tips can also be sent directly from a cell phone by texting PAKIDS + YOUR TIP to 847411 or through an online complaint form.
Internet safety tips are available on the "Operation Safe Surf" section of www.attorneygeneral.gov. Organizations interested in materials, speakers or presentations should contact the Attorney General's Education and Outreach Unit at 1-800-525-7642 or via email at[email protected].
(A person charged with a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty.)