Arrests.
The defendant is accused of sharing 25 child sexual abuse material files on Kik.
A Hilltown Township man, who was previously warned by authorities about his online behavior, has been arrested and charged with felony counts of disseminating photo and films of child sex acts, possession of child pornography, and criminal use of a communication device.
Arthur Corbett Clark, 22, of the 2500 block of Hilltown Pike, was charged Nov. 13 by the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office and Hilltown Township detectives for allegedly sharing 25 files of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on the social media platform, Kik, in July, according to charging documents.
On Aug. 21, the district attorney’s office conducted an investigation of a CyperTip submitted to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children by MediaLab/Kik on July 27, according to a criminal complaint.
Investigators said a user on Kik, alleged to be Clark, shared multiple child sexual abuse materials (CSAM) on July 12 between 4:19 a.m. and 6:26 p.m. Kik provided authorities with user account information, including an IP address, screen name, and email address, according to the complaint.
Police said Clark shared 11 videos and 14 images of child pornography, via one account that had multiple IP addresses registered to it. Verizon traced one of the IP addresses to Clark and his home, per the complaint.
On Oct. 31, police executed a search warrant at Clark’s home, where they found and seized an LG V30 phone used to share the files, which was located in a dresser drawer in his bedroom closet, per the complaint.
While speaking with Clark, he told police that officers came out about six years ago (when he was around 16) and spoke with him about using Kik, per the affidavit. He told police he was using Kik to “look at illegal images” that were of “anything under 18 and it’s totally wrong,” per the affidavit.
Clark was asked for his phone passcode and he replied, “I don’t think I can provide that to you," police allege in teh affidavit.
On Nov. 7, authorities conducted a forensic exam of the phone, as well as on Clark’s main cell phone, and the phone found in the closet uncovered more than 200 videos and 1,000 image files of CSAM on it of children under the age of 10, police said.
Clark remains at Bucks County jail on 10% of $20,000 cash bail following a Nov. 13 arraignment, according to court records. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Jan. 14 at 1:30 p.m. before Magisterial District Judge Regina Armitage.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
