A pastor from Shippensburg and another man from Philadelphia were arrested this week, as part of ongoing efforts to target the online sharing, downloading, and distribution of child pornography.
Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane identified the defendants as:
· Gary Toro, 25, 9201 Outlook Ave., Philadelphia; and
· Keith Bell, 53, 92 Rustic Drive, Shippensburg, Cumberland County.
Keith Bell was arrested on June 12, 2013 following an investigation by agents from the Attorney General’s Child Predator Section into the downloading and sharing of numerous files containing images of pre-pubescent children engaged in sexually graphic acts and poses. Bell is employed as pastor of the Upper Strasburg Church of God, according to court documents.
Agents executed a search warrant at Bell’s Shippensburg residence. They seized four laptop computers, a desktop computer, and other electronic media, which will be analyzed by the Attorney General’s Computer Forensics Unit as part of a continuing investigation.
Bell is charged with three counts of distribution of child pornography, one count of possession of child pornography, and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.
Bell was preliminarily arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Anthony Adams and held in the Cumberland County Prison in lieu of $150,000 cash bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 17, 2013.
The case will be prosecuted in Cumberland County by Deputy Attorney General Christopher Jones of the Attorney General’s Child Predator Section.
According to the criminal complaint, agents conducting an online investigation found numerous online files, which contained depictions of children under the age of 18 engaged in sexually graphic acts and poses.
Agents identified Toro as the individual sharing those photographs. Toro was arrested on Tuesday, June 11, 2013, by agents from the Attorney General’s Office, with the assistance of the Philadelphia Police Department.
A search of Toro’s Outlook Avenue residence resulted in the seizure of a laptop, which will be analyzed by the Attorney General’s Computer Forensics Unit as part of a continuing investigation.
Toro is charged with two counts of distribution of child pornography, two counts of possession of child pornography, and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.
Kane thanked the Philadelphia Police Department for their assistance with the investigation.
Toro was preliminarily arraigned in Municipal Court of Philadelphia County, which set bail at $25,000. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 27, 2013.
The case will be prosecuted in Philadelphia County by Deputy Attorney General Christopher Jones of the Attorney General’s Child Predator Section.