November 2, 2009

Attorney General Corbett announces arrest of Halloween weekend "traveling" Internet predator in western PA; 243rd arrest by Child Predator Unit

HARRISBURG - Attorney General Tom Corbett today announced that agents from the Attorney General's Child Predator Unit have arrested a Beaver County man accused of traveling to Lawrence County in order to have sex with what he believed were two teenage girls who he allegedly sexually propositioned on the Internet.

Corbett identified the defendant as Thomas W. Pieri Sr., 52, 3508 3rd Ave., Koppel, Beaver County.

Corbett said that Pieri is accused of traveling to New Castle, Lawrence County, on Friday, October 30th in order to meet and have sex with what he believed was a 15-year old girl from Ohio and her 13-year old cousin from Pennsylvania.  Pieri allegedly used Internet chat rooms to sexually proposition the girls in mid-October and arranged the Friday meeting believing that the Ohio teen was visiting her cousin in Pennsylvania for the Halloween weekend.

"It is vital for parents to understand that Internet predators will take advantage of many different situations to plan a meeting with a child, including holidays, school vacations and even snow days - any time that children may be home alone," Corbett said. "Since 2005 our agents have arrested men who have traveled from as far away as Kentucky or Texas, in every kind of weather, simply because they believed a vulnerable child was waiting to meet them."

Corbett said that on October 16th, Pieri allegedly used an Internet chat room to sexually proposition what he believed was a 15-year old girl from Ohio.  Pieri, who identified himself as a Pittsburgh area resident, is also accused of sending a sexually explicit webcam video to the girl.

Corbett explained that the Ohio "girl" was actually an undercover detective from the Fairborn Ohio Police Department, who immediately contacted agents from the Pittsburgh office of the Attorney General's Child Predator Unit. 

As part of a coordinated online investigation, Pieri allegedly engaged in online chats with the Ohio girl and her 13-year old cousin from Pennsylvania.  The "cousin" was actually an undercover agent from the Child Predator Unit using the online profile of a child from Lawrence County.

According to the criminal complaint, Pieri engaged in a series of sexually graphic online chats with the girls, repeatedly expressing his desire to meet them for sex.  Pieri also allegedly sent nude webcam videos to both girls and repeatedly stressed that they should not tell anyone else about their online conversations because they could get into trouble.

Corbett said that Pieri was arrested on Friday, October 30th by agents from Attorney General's Child Predator Unit, assisted by New Castle Police, when he arrived at a predetermined meeting location in Lawrence County.  At the time of his arrest, Pieri was driving a vehicle that matched a description he had allegedly provided during online chats.

Corbett said that agents from the Child Predator Unit, assisted by officers from the Koppel Police Department, executed a search warrant at Pieri's home in Beaver County, seizing multiple computers and data storage devices.  These items will be analyzed by the Attorney General's Computer Forensics Unit as part of an ongoing investigation.

Pieri is charged with six counts of unlawful contact with a minor (related to sexual offenses), all second-degree felonies which are each punishable by up to ten years in prison and $25,000 fines.

Additionally, Pieri is charged with three counts of unlawful contact with a minor (related to obscene or sexual materials and performances) and four counts of criminal use of a computer, all third-degree felonies which are each punishable by up to seven years in prison and $15,000 fines.

Pieri was preliminarily arraigned on October 30th before Magisterial District Judge Scott McGrath and lodged in the Lawrence County Jail in lieu of $50,000 cash bail.  Pieri was also ordered to have no unsupervised contact with minors and is prohibited from using the Internet.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on November 5th, in Lawrence County Central Court.

The case will be prosecuted in Lawrence County by Deputy Attorney General William F. Caye II of the Attorney General's Child Predator Unit.

Corbett thanked the New Castle and Koppel Police Departments, along with detectives from the Fairborn Ohio Police Department, for their cooperation and assistance with this investigation.

Internet Safety
Corbett noted that the Attorney General's Child Predator Unit has arrested 243 Internet predators since it was created in January 2005.  He added that agents have made 62 arrests so far this year - a nearly 20% increase compared to 2008.   

"Parents must understand that Internet predators are active in every part of our state - using online chat rooms, social networking sites, instant messages, digital cameras, webcams and other technology to reach into your homes - sending sexually graphic material to your kids, encouraging teens to send nude photos of themselves or trying to arrange meetings for sex," Corbett said.

Corbett encouraged parents to regularly discuss online safety with their children and to closely monitor how their children use the Internet, including:

• What websites they visit.
• What social networking sites they frequent (MySpace, Facebook, etc).
• The importance of not sharing personal information with strangers (names, ages, addresses, schools or other identifying information).
• Avoiding strangers who approach them online.
• Reporting any contact with individuals who engage in sexual discussions or attempt to send graphic photos or videos.

Corbett said that suspected Internet predators can be reported to the Attorney General's Child Predator Unit by using the "Report a Predator" online complaint form or by calling the Attorney General's Child Predator Hotline, at 1-800-385-1044. 

Additionally, Corbett said that safety tips and other information are available in the "Operation Safe Surf" and "Just for Kids" sections of the Attorney General's website. Also, organizations interested in materials, speakers or presentations, may contact the Attorney General's Education and Outreach Office at 1-800-525-7642 or via email at education@attorneygeneral.gov.

(A person charged with a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty.)