CHELTENHAM MAN CHARGED WITH 200 COUNTS of CHILD PORN

Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele, Abington Township Police Chief Patrick Molloy, Cheltenham Township Police Chief John Frye and the Pennsylvania Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force announced the arrest of Joseph Procopio, 48, of Cheltenham, for 200 felony counts of Distributing and Possessing Child Pornography, as well as Criminal Use of a Communication Facility.

On Dec. 10, 2017, Abington Township Detective Rick Beaghley was conducting an undercover, electronic communications operation on the Internet. The investigation located a computer that was specifically configured to anonymously share files with others. When Detective Beaghley directly connected to this computer, he electronically received three folder files that contained 141 sexually explicit images. Upon review, the files were determined to depict children under the age of 18 engaged in sexual acts and/or sexually explicit poses. The investigation traced the computer to the defendant’s residence.

On March 28, 2018, ICAC detectives executed a search warrant and seized Procopio’s custom-built computer and other electronic devices. Forensic examination of the computer found 308 sexually explicit images and numerous fragment files commonly associated with child pornography.

Procopio was arrested on March 31, 2018, and was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Christopher Cerski, who set bail at $75,000 (10 percent), with other bail conditions including no unsupervised contact with minors and deactivation of the defendant’s Internet account. Procopio posted bail and was released. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 10:30 a.m., June 14, 2018, before Magisterial District Judge Elizabeth McHugh Casey.

Major Crimes Detectives of the Montgomery County Detective Bureau, along with specially trained and sworn detectives from police departments in Montgomery County, routinely work with the ICAC Task Force to protect children from Internet predators by aggressively and proactively investigating Internet crimes that exploit children.

From a release from District Attorney Kevin R. Steele’s office