ELIZABETHVILLE, Pa. — The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received several cybertips from Google that led police to arrest an Elizabethville man accused of possessing child pornography.
Between May 27, 2022 and June 1, 2022, Google submitted multiple tips alleging that an IP address traced back to Gary Shomper, 30, was involved in child pornography.
According to a criminal complaint, the Dauphin County Criminal Investigation Division executed a search warrant at Shomper's home in the 100 block of East Broad Street in Elizabethville on Oct. 13, 2022.
When police confronted him, Shomper allegedly claimed that he had been looking at pornography on Google when the images popped up; he had not intentionally searched for child porn.
Before officers searched the house, Shomper admitted to having meth needles in his residence and meth in his wallet, according to an affidavit of probable cause. Police seized meth, drug paraphernalia and marijuana from Shomper's home, as well as electronic devices they suspected may contain the illicit pornography.
Officials say that when they attempted to search the electronics, the account had been accessed and the iCloud remote lock/remote wipe feature had been activated.
A review of the phone's search history revealed incriminating searches for illicit images of children.
After a doctor confirmed one of the photos included in the cybertip depicted a naked juvenile, police filed charges against Shomper.
Officers say that when they went to serve Shomper's warrant on Jan. 1, the accused fled his home in a white Dodge truck prior to their arrival. A pursuit ensued.
Police trailed Shomper for 38 miles, attempting several times to pull him over and perform disabling maneuvers on his truck, according to a criminal complaint. Shomper traveled well over the speed limit and committed several traffic violations during the chase.
The pursuit came to an end when the suspect pulled into a Jackson Township car wash parking lot along State Route 225 and drove through three cinder block walls. Police say Shomper then exited his vehicle and was taken into custody, allegedly saying in the process that he wasn't trying to hurt anyone but himself.
Shomper was medically cleared for incarceration before being taken to Dauphin County Prison, where he remains unable to post bail.
Court documents show that he was charged with child pornography, criminal use of communication facility, intentional possession of controlled substance by person not registered and tamper with/fabricate physical evidence.
