HARRISBURG — Attorney General Dave Sunday announced a Philadelphia man is charged with 200 felonies for possessing numerous child sexual abuse material images and videos — many of them depicting infants and toddlers.
John S. Stachecki, 55, was recently arraigned on the felony counts of sexual abuse of children, and bail was set at $1 million.
The Office of Attorney General and Homeland Security Investigations conducted a joint investigation that revealed Stachecki was a member of dozens of online groups — accessible only by encrypted key — that traded child sexual abuse material.
“We cannot overstate the depths of depravity that exist online, as evidenced by this investigation that uncovered an invitation-only network used to share and view child sexual abuse material,” Attorney General Sunday said. “I commend our partners at Homeland Security for helping to identify the defendant who was an active member of these groups, with a deviant fixation on very young children.”
“The heartbreaking evidence unearthed in this case stands as a stark reminder that children, no matter where they live, are vulnerable. No child should ever have to endure the horrific exploitation revealed by this investigation,” said Special Agent in Charge of HSI Philadelphia, Edward V. Owens. “This case is a testament to the strength of our partnership with the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. By pooling resources and expertise, we successfully identified and dismantled an encrypted network where offenders traded abhorrent images of children. Homeland Security Investigations will relentlessly pursue anyone who exploits society’s most vulnerable members.”
Investigators executed a search warrant last week at Stachecki’s home in the 1900 block of Chestnut Street, where agents recovered hundreds of videos and images.
The case will be prosecuted by Senior Deputy Attorney General Michelle Laucella of the Child Predator Section. Criminal charges, and any discussion thereof, are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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