Patrick Fox, 40, of Glenside.
A Glenside man has been arrested on dozens of felony charges including possessing and distributing child pornography.
Patrick Fox, 40, was charged with 100 felony counts of possessing child pornography, 10 counts of disseminating child pornography and criminal use of a communications facility, following an investigation by the Abington Township Police Department.
In November 2021, police began an online investigation to identify those possessing and distributing child pornography using the BitTorrent network. They used a peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing program and located a specific IP address sharing files of child pornography, according to the criminal complaint.
Between Nov. 30, 2021, and Feb. 23, 2022, police downloaded and acquired 12 image files and one video file of child pornography from the host, according to charging documents. The files reportedly depicted children under the age of 18 engaging in sexual acts or in sexually explicit poses, police said.
The American Registry of Internet Numbers determined the IP address was assigned to Comcast Cable Communications. After Comcast was subpoenaed, they allegedly revealed the subscriber of the IP address was Fox.
On May 5, members of Montgomery County ICAC Task Force and Abington Township Police Department conducted a search of Fox’s residence and allegedly found a computer that showed the peer-to-peer file sharing network was actively running and downloading files. Fox was in attendance during the search and declined to speak to police, the report states.
According to the criminal complaint, the computer and other electronic devices were seized, and a forensic examination of the custom-built computer and tower was later conducted.
Investigators found 1,202 images of children under the age of 18 — the majority of which were of pre-pubescent children — engaged in sexual acts and/or poses, police said. Approximately 60 images were children under 5-years-old, according to investigators.
Fox was arraigned on June 16, at which point his bail was set at 10% of $10,000, with additional conditions of no contact with minors. He posted bail that day and was released.
A preliminary hearing was held at 11:30 a.m. on June 29 in front of Magisterial District Judge Juanita Price, at which point 50 counts of possession of child pornography were withdrawn. The remaining charges were held over for trial, and a formal arraignment has been scheduled at county court on Aug. 10 at 1:30 p.m.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using court records and the affidavit of probable cause.
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