Montgomery County Man Arrested For Possessing & Distributing Child Pornography

ABINGTON, PA — A local man is facing criminal charges of child pornography possession and distribution after police say they identified him while conducting an online investigation into individuals possessing and sharing child porn images and videos using a peer-to-peer file sharing network.

The Montgomery County District Attorney's Office on Wednesday announced the arrest of Patrick Fox, 40, of the 2000 block of Wharton Road in the Glenside section of Abington Township.

An Abington Township detective who also works with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force said during an investigation into child porn activities this past November he came across a specific IP address that was determined to be sharing child pornography files, according to a criminal complaint.

The DA's Office stated that a total of 12 image files and one video file were downloaded using a direct connection between Nov. 30, 2021, and Feb. 23, 2022, and that the IP addressed involved in the downloads was ultimately traced to Fox.

Investigators served a search warrant on May 5 at Fox's Glenside home, at which time they discovered a computer in one of the rooms that showed the peer-to-peer file sharing network as being actively on and downloading files, according to the DA's Office.

Detectives seized the computer, and a forensic examination determined that it held 1,202 images of children under the age of 18 engaged in various sexual acts and poses, according to prosecutors.

Most of the files were images of children who are believed to be pre-pubescent, while about 60 of the images depicted children under the age of 5, according to the DA's Office.

Investigators who served the search warrant at the home said that Fox declined to speak with them at the time, according to the criminal complaint.

Fox is being charged with 100 felony counts of child pornography possession, as well as 10 counts of disseminating child pornography and 10 counts of criminal use of a communications facility.

Court records show that Fox was arraigned on June 16 before Magisterial District Judge Katherine E. McGill.

Bail was set at $10,000 and Fox was released from custody after posting $1,000, which is 10 percent of the bail amount.

A preliminary hearing had been scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Wednesday before Magisterial District Judge Juanita Price.

Fox was also ordered to have no contact with minors.