Ex-Falls Twp. Fire Co. President Found With Child Pornography: DA

LOWER BUCKS COUNTY, PA —In 2018, Gary Margerum was charged with stealing over $10,000 while serving as president of the Falls Township Fire Company.

On Friday, the 67-year-old Falls Township resident was charged with possessing child pornography, authorities said.

In a criminal complaint obtained by Patch from the Bucks County District Attorney's Office, authorities said that Margerum is now accused of posting a sexually explicit photo of an underage girl online, having been charged with child pornography and other related offenses.

Margerum was arrested on Friday. He is being held in custody in Bucks County after failing to post bail. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 16.

The investigation began when Bucks County detectives received a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) reporting a user on the instant messaging app Kik saved, shared, or uploaded child sexual abuse material in December 2024. Investigators determined Margerum was the suspected user, the criminal complaint states.

On Friday, authorities executed a search warrant at Margerum’s home in Levittown. While being interviewed by investigators, Margerum admitted to accessing, receiving, and disseminating child pornography, according to the criminal complaint. He also allegedly admitted to sharing the child sexual abuse material on Kik, and investigators found the image — which dated back to January 2023 — while accessing his iPhone, officials said.

Investigators continue to search through Margerum’s electronic devices for other potential child pornography images.

In a previous Patch article, Margerum was charged in July 2018 with another former Falls Township Fire Company #1 president with stealing more than $46,000 from the volunteer organization.

Margerum was charged with stealing $11,198.22. He served as fire company president from 2009 to 2016.

Margerum is accused of thefts from September 2013 through September 2016, shortly before he resigned on Oct. 3, 2016.

Margerum allegedly made personal purchases that were not authorized with two fire company credit cards. Margerum and Carlin allegedly co-signed a withdrawal slip for $3,035 from the fire company’s bank account. That money was used to rent a house at the Jersey Shore, according to a probable cause affidavit.