Upper Gwynedd Police Photo by James Short.
Connor Michael Shutter, of the 100 block of East 7th Street, Lansdale, is free on $50,000 bond.
A Lansdale man has been charged with four felonies related to child sexual abuse materials for allegedly grooming and sharing nude videos and photos of a then 12-year-old Upper Gwynedd Township child on various social media platforms, including Discord and Snapchat, in 2023.
Connor Michael Shutter, 20, of the 100 block of East 7th Street, was charged by Upper Gwynedd detectives Feb. 5 with felony counts of photographing, videotaping, depicting on a computer, or filming sexual acts of a minor, contact with a minor for the purpose of sexual abuse, possession of child pornography, and corruption of minors by a defendant 18 years or older, according to court documents.
On July 17, 2023, Upper Gwynedd authorities received a report of an adult male who met with a 12-year-old child for sex, according to the criminal affidavit. The parents of the victim reported that on or about July 15, 2023, at midnight, Shutter allegedly came to their home to meet their child.
Unbeknownst to the parents, Shutter had allegedly been communicating and sending and receiving explicit photos and videos with their child on various social media platforms, including Snapchat, Discord and Skype. Police said Shutter agreed to meet the victim that night to have sex in their home.
As a result, the victim’s parents checked the child’s social media and allegedly found Snapchat communications between the victim and an account named “Bell S.,” police said. “Bell S.” would later be identified as Shutter, police said.
In the Snapchat conversations, “Bell S.” communicated in a sexual nature with the victim and sent photos and videos of himself in various stages of undress and arousal, police said.
After the victim’s parents identified Shutter, they learned he was 19 years old and did not want him to communicate with their child, according to the complaint. They took screenshots of the conversations and sent a Snapchat to Shutter stating, “This is (child’s) mom. You are sending d--- pics and trying to meet up with a 12 year old!” according to the affidavit.
Investigators found alleged communications on the victim’s laptop between Shutter and the victim on Discord. The communications, police allege, occurred one month after the victim’s parents notified Shutter of their child’s age. The two then used Skype to video chat, police said.
On Aug. 20, 2023, authorities said the victim and Shutter discuss meeting one another again, but it never transpires. On Aug. 24, 2023, the victim apologized to Shutter for an unknown reason and thinks Shutter hates them, according to the complaint. Shutter responded on Discord, “I don’t hate you. I just think that we should wait until you’re older to actually pursue anything. You’re 12 years old after all,” police said.
The victim then disclosed to Shutter that they had sex twice already with someone else, and then Shutter blocked the victim on Discord, in an attempt to scare them, according to the complaint. Then, months later, on Dec. 31, 2023, Shutter allegedly replies to an email from the victim, which was sent on Sept. 1, 2023. Then, again, Shutter allegedly sends an email to the victim on Jan. 9, 2024, telling them he has unblocked them from Discord.
A subsequent forensic interview of the victim was completed by Mission Kids, wherein the victim disclosed after they met Shutter in person in July 2023, and after their parents told Shutter the victim was only 12 years old, Shutter and the victim continued to surreptitiously communicate via Instagram, Twitter and Discord, police said.
During those conversations, the victim and Shutter continued to share nude photographs and videos, police allege. In one conversation, Shutter allegedly indicated he wished to get an apartment with the victim, move them in at 16 years of age, and then get married.
Shutter posted $50,000 cash bond on Feb. 6 and remains free ahead of a preliminary hearing on March 25 at noon before Magisterial District Judge Suzan Leonard.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
