Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane announced that the Child Predator Section arrested six men for the distribution and possession of child pornography over the past week, bringing the total number of arrests for 2014 to 160 predators.
“The dedicated work of our Child Predator Section is making communities safer,” Attorney General Kane said. “We will continue to pursue those who seek to hurt our kids. They should know we are watching.”
The week’s arrests include four men from Philadelphia and the immediate suburbs, and two men from Central Pennsylvania:
- Richard Mason, 29, 2603 Grant Court, Norristown, Montgomery County;
- Jeremy Godin, 38, 14 N. Maple St., Mt. Carmel, Northumberland County;
- Michael Brantley, 33, 2714 Webb St., Philadelphia;
- Dayne Gomez, 19, 70 Old Mill Road, Sadsbury, Chester County;
- Charles Ring, 19, 408 Pierre Drive, Kennett Square, Chester County; and
- Jeffrey Tucker, 325 W. 9th St., Waynesboro, Franklin County.
The unrelated investigations stem from the Attorney General’s mission to crack down on the trade of sexually graphic media files in Pennsylvania.
Attorney General Kane attributed the section’s arrests to increased funding from the General Assembly for agents, attorneys and equipment, as well as an expanded focus on peer-to-peer technology used by predators to trade child pornography and exploit children online.
Jeffrey Tucker of Franklin County
During an online investigation by a Child Predator Section agent, four files of apparent child pornography were downloaded from a computer located at Tucker’s residence.
A search of Tucker’s home resulted in the seizure of a laptop computer, which was examined and found to contain at least nine files of child pornography. Tucker was taken into custody when he returned from work.
Tucker was preliminarily arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Duane K. Cunningham and remanded to the Franklin County Prison after failing to post $75,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2014.
He is charged with four counts of distribution of child pornography, nine counts of possession of child pornography and one count of criminal use of a communication facility. Tucker will be prosecuted by Senior Deputy Attorney General Christopher Jones of the Child Predator Section.
Richard Mason of Montgomery County
Mason was arrested after an online investigation revealed the distribution of apparent child pornography from a computer using the IP address linked to his residence. After agents executed a search warrant, Mason’s electronic devices were seized and examined by the Attorney General’s Computer Forensics Unit. The devices allegedly contained 75 images and videos of child pornography.
At his preliminary arraignment, Mason failed to post $50,000 bail and was remanded to the Montgomery County Prison. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Dec. 10, 2014.
He is charged with three counts of distribution of child pornography, 50 counts of possession of child pornography and one count of criminal use of communication facility.
Attorney General Kane thanked the West Norriton Police Department for assisting with the arrest. Mason will be prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Rebecca Elo of the Child Predator Section.
Jeremy Godin of Northumberland County
The investigation began when agents from the Attorney General’s Child Predator Section identified an IP address on a peer-to-peer network making files – believed to depict child pornography – available for download. The cellphone’s IP address was later identified as serving the above Northumberland County residence, where agents located Godin.
A search of Godin’s residence revealed evidence that the defendant made video recordings of minor children in various states of undress inside the home. Those files were among the 104 agents previewed as part of their investigation.
Godin was preliminarily arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Hugh Jones and held on $150,000 cash bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 9:30 a.m., Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2014.
He is charged with four counts of production of child pornography, one count of distribution of child pornography, 100 counts of possession of child pornography, four counts of invasion of privacy and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.
More information on Godin’s arrest can be found on our website.
Michael Brantley of Philadelphia
Brantley allegedly used a peer-to-peer network to download and distribute media files that depicted prepubescent children, under the age of eighteen, engaged in graphic sexual acts and poses.
Agents discovered multiple files of apparent child pornography on Brantley’s computer, which was seized during a search warrant.
He is charged with one count of distribution of child pornography, six counts of possession of child pornography and one count of criminal use of communication facility. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Dec. 18, 2014.
Attorney General Kane thanked the Philadelphia Police Department for assisting with the arrest. Brantley will be prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Rebecca Elo of the Child Predator Section.
Dayne Gomez of Chester County
An agent from the Child Predator Section successfully downloaded multiple files of apparent child pornography allegedly from Gomez’s computer.
Gomez was arrested after a search of his bedroom in his parent’s basement revealed a computer allegedly containing 44 videos and images of child pornography.
He is charged with two counts of distribution of child pornography, 20 counts of possession of child pornography and one count of criminal use of communication facility. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Dec. 19, 2014.
Attorney General Kane thanked the Sadsbury Township Police Department for assisting with the arrest. Gomez will be prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Rebecca Elo of the Child Predator Section.
Charles Ring of Chester County
Ring allegedly had at least 125 files of graphic child pornography on computers at his Pierre Drive residence, according to the criminal complaint.
Agents obtained a search warrant for the residence after an agent downloaded child pornography from Ring’s IP address using a peer-to-peer networking during an online investigation.
He is charged with one count of distribution of child pornography, 100 counts of possession of child pornography and one count of criminal use of communication facility. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Dec. 16, 2014.
Attorney General Kane thanked the Pennsylvania State Police for assisting with the arrest. Ring will be prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Rebecca Elo of the Child Predator Section.
Reporting Child Predators
Suspected child predators can be reported to the Office of Attorney General by calling the Child Predator Hotline at 1-800-385-1044. Individuals who suspect an online predator or child sexual abuse can also send an anonymous tip to the office by texting PAKIDS + YOUR TIP to 847411.
