Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

HARRISBURG - Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane today announced the arrests of four Pennsylvania men on unrelated charges as part of an ongoing effort to target the online sharing, downloading and distribution of child pornography. Attorney General Kane identified the defendants as: • Lawrence Schichtel Jr., 53, 319 Fuller St., Sayre, Bradford County; • William Mattos, 45, 2076 North Williamson Road, Covington, Tioga County; • Jerry Rhinehart Jr., 29, 690 South Broad St., Apt.15, Jersey Shore, Lycoming County; and • Robert Pillot Jr., 38, 148 Mohawk Drive, Hughesville, Lycoming County. According to the criminal complaints for each of the defendants, agents conducting separate, unrelated online investigations found numerous files containing depictions of children engaged in extremely sexually graphic acts and poses, which they later determined were downloaded and shared from each of the defendant's respective computers. Schichtel Schichtel was arrested on October 16, and char...

HARRISBURG -- Attorney General Linda Kelly today announced the filing of a series of felony charges against a Butler County man accused of using Facebook to operate an elaborate and disturbing false identity scheme that was used to solicit young girls for explicit photos or meetings for sex. Kelly identified the defendant as William R. Ainsworth, 53, 110 Raupp Lane, Mars. Kelly explained that the investigation by the Attorney General's Child Predator Unit began in September 2011, after agents received information that Ainsworth had traveled to the home of a 14-year old girl in Butler County in order to engage in various sex acts. For more on this story go here . The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

HARRISBURG - Agents from the Attorney General's Child Predator Unit have arrested a substitute teacher and retired state police officer from western Pennsylvania accused of using the Internet to sexually proposition what he believed was a 13-year girl, transmitting a nude webcam video and then traveling to the Pittsburgh area in order to meet the girl for sex. The "girl" was actually an undercover agent who was using the online profiles of young teens. Acting Attorney General Bill Ryan identified the defendant as Lawrence W. McElroy, age 61, of Tologo Road, Cooperstown, Venango County. McElroy is a substitute high school teacher in Franklin County and retired sergeant from the Pennsylvania State Police. Ryan said that McElroy was arrested on Monday, April 25th, when he arrived at a predetermined location in Canonsburg, Washington County, where he had allegedly arranged to meet a 13-year old girl for sex - believing that the "girl" did not have school because of...

Agents from the Attorney General's Child Predator Unit have arrested a Lycoming County man accused of using Internet chat rooms to sexually proposition what he believed was a 13-year old girl, along with sending explicit webcam videos of himself to the "girl." Acting Attorney General Bill Ryan identified the defendant as George William McKay, age 61, of 723 High Street, Williamsport. Ryan said that McKay is accused of using an Internet chat room to approach and sexually proposition an undercover agent from the Child Predator Unit who was using the online profile of a young teen. During their first online communication, McKay allegedly told the "girl" that he was becoming aroused during their online chat and then used his computer webcam to transmit images of his exposed genitalia. According to the criminal complaint, McKay approached the undercover agent a second time, several days later - asking her, "do you want me to lower my cam," and, "do you...

A Clarion man has been picked up by the attorney general’s child predator unit for using a webcam to send sexually explicit videos of himself to someone he thought was a 13-year-old girl. 39-year-old Vincent Elliott was actually sending the items to an agent with the attorney general’s office. Elliott is accused of approaching the undercover agent in an Internet chat room in December 2010, asking to be added to the girl's "buddy list" for online messages. Several days later, Elliott is then accused of sending the girl a webcam transmission that showed him naked from the waist down, engaging in sexual activity in front of his computer. http://attorneygeneral.gov/press.aspx?id=5972

HARRISBURG - Agents from the Attorney General's Child Predator Unit have arrested an Ohio man accused of sending nude photos and webcam videos to what he believed was a 14-year old girl. The "girl" was actually an undercover agent who was using the online profile of a young teen. Attorney General Tom Corbett identified the defendant as Larry Dugan, 62, 561 East Main St., East Palestine, Ohio. Corbett said that Dugan allegedly used an Internet chat room to approach the undercover agent, asking the girl for photos. During their first online chat Dugan allegedly provided the girl with his telephone number, asking her to call him or text him. According to the criminal complaint, as the chats progressed Dugan began to engage in sexual questioning which became more vulgar and persistent. Additionally, Dugan allegedly proposed meeting the girl for sex - suggesting that he could travel to her hometown and that she should wear shorts and a tank top when they met. Dugan was taken i...

HARRISBURG - Agents from the Attorney General's Child Predator Unit have arrested a Lancaster County man accused of sending nude photos and webcam videos to what he believed was a 14-year old girl. The "girl" was actually an undercover agent who was using the online profile of a young teen. Attorney General Tom Corbett identified the defendant as Eric Lee Werner, age 25, of 191 Falmouth Road, Bainbridge. Corbett said that Werner allegedly used an Internet chat room to approach the undercover agent, asking if she was a virgin. During their first online chat Werner allegedly proposed sending some nude photos of himself to the girl, but cautioned her to keep the activity secret, adding, "if your mom or dad see me giving you naked pics that would be bad." According to the criminal complaint, allegedly Werner engaged in a series of sexually explicit online chats over the next several months, sending nude photos and graphic webcam videos. Additionally, Werner proposed...

A Clarion man is accused of using Internet chat rooms to proposition a person he believed was a 13-year-old girl, suggesting that they meet for sex with multiple people and with a dog. 27-year-old Brandon Galford is jailed on $100,000 bail. The "girl" was actually an undercover agent from the Attorney General’s Child Predator Unit who was using the online profile of a child. Attorney General Tom Corbett said Galford urged the girl to visit him, commenting, "You should come to my area so I can get you pregnant," and also asked if he could have sex with both the girl and her mother. http://attorneygeneral.gov/press.aspx?id=5308

HARRISBURG — Attorney General Tom Corbett today announced the recent arrest of six suspected Internet predators across Pennsylvania and urging parents to make online safety part of their spring and summer family discussions. “Now, more than ever, it is important for families to discuss Internet safety, as warmer weather brings changes in school schedules and family activities,’” Corbett said. “As spring quickly gives way to summer vacation season, online predators are hoping that more teens will be home alone for longer periods of time and may be spending more time on-line chatting with their friends, playing games or just exploring the Internet.” Corbett identified the defendants recently arrested by the Child Predator Unit as: · Josef Graf, age 70, 133 N. Rt. 88, Charleroi, Washington County. · Donald J. Ferrenberg, age 26, 124 State Route 271, Ligonier, Westmoreland County. · Terry Lynn Hackenberg, age 46, 93 Park Road, Jersey Shore, Lycoming County. · B...

An East Aurora, New York, man has been arrested by Pennsylvania's Child Predator Unit for allegedly setting up a meeting for sex with what he thought was a 13-year-old girl. 43-year-old Jeffrey Kimmel is accused of using an Internet chat room on January 13 to set up the meeting in New Castle. He was actually chatting with an agent from the attorney general's office. According to the criminal complaint, Kimmel used his cell phone camera to send a nude photo of himself during their first online chat and expressed a desire to engage in sexual activity with the girl. Kimmel also allegedly offered to bring the girl gifts, promising to bring her a sexual device in her favorite color (pink) and wine coolers if she agreed to meet - telling her that he would teach her about sex and "show her everything." Kimmel was arrested on January 22nd, when he arrived at a predetermined meeting location in Lawrence County, driving a vehicle that matched a description provided during onlin...

HARRISBURG - Attorney General Tom Corbett announced that agents from the Attorney General's Child Predator Unit have arrested a high school chemistry teacher from Ohio accused of using the Internet to sexually proposition what he believed was a 13-year old girl, along with sending sexually explicit webcam videos to the girl. Corbett identified the defendant as Robert Mark Fickenscher, 57, 105 Bryn Mawr Drive, Painesville, Ohio. Corbett said that Fickenscher allegedly used Internet chat rooms and instant message programs to approach and sexually proposition an undercover agent from the Child Predator Unit who was using the online profile of a 13-year old child. Fickenscher is also accused of sending numerous sexually explicit webcam videos to the girl. According to the criminal complaint, Fickenscher initially identified himself as a 35-year Erie man who enjoyed racing cars. He allegedly attempted to entice the girl into meeting him at a motel near her home with the promise of provi...

HARRISBURG - Attorney General Tom Corbett announced that over the past week agents from the Child Predator Unit have made arrests in Northumberland, Berks and Montgomery counties involving men accused of using the Internet to sexually proposition what they believed were 13 or 14-year old girls. Corbett said that two of the suspects are accused of sending nude or sexually graphic webcam videos to what they believed were children, while another allegedly traveled from Maryland to Pennsylvania in order to have sex with a teenage girl. In all three cases, the men were actually communicating with undercover agents from the Child Predator Unit, who were using the online profiles of children. For more on this story, go to the attorney general's Web site .

A 33-year-old Edinboro man is accused of pretending to be a 19-year-old bisexual woman to solicit sex from teenagers in an Internet chat room. The state attorney general's child predator unit arrested David Jones after he allegedly propositioned an undercover agent posing as a 13-year-old. Jones is also accused of sending pictures of women to his alleged target, claiming they were pictures of himself engaged in sexual activity. Jones is free on bond pending a preliminary hearing May 29. For more on this story go to the attorney general's Web site .

Attorney General Tom Corbett announced that agents from the Attorney General's Child Predator Unit have arrested an upstate New York man accused of using the Internet to send sexually explicit webcam videos to what he believed was a 13-year-old girl from suburban Philadelphia. The "girl" was actually an undercover agent who was using the online profile of a young girl. Corbett identified the defendant as Richard Lynn Alred, 45, 603 Hillingdon Way, Horseheads, NY. Corbett said that Alred, a technician for a fire equipment company, allegedly used preteen Internet chat rooms to approach an undercover agent from the Child Predator Unit. During these initial chats, Alred allegedly used several different screen names and posed as teenage boys. According to the criminal complaint, Alred repeatedly asked the undercover agents to send him nude photos, commenting, "I would love to see you with your shirt off and your bra off." At one point Alred allegedly offered to gi...