HARRISBURG — Attorney General Dave Sunday announced charges against a Pittsburgh man who used an online chat platform to attempt to solicit sexual contact with a pre-teenage girl.
Eric T. Gillespie, 57, is charged with four felonies, including multiple counts of unlawful contact with a minor. At arraignment, a magisterial district judge denied bail, citing flight risk and public safety concerns.
An Office of Attorney General agent posed as an adult in an online chat platform often utilized by offenders attempting to arrange meetings with children, and engaged in a conversation with Gillespie. Gillespie then made attempts to arrange a meeting with a pre-teenage girl (in Lebanon County).
“Our Child Predator Section proactively uncovered this defendant who, under an online pseudonym, was lurking online to access children,” Attorney General Sunday said. “This case is yet another example of the dangers that exist online in anonymous chat platforms and other communication venues.”
The Office of Attorney General was assisted in the investigation by the Lebanon County District Attorney’s Office.
During the investigation, Gillespie alluded to methods he accessed children, and other evidence was found regarding contact with children.
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information they feel law enforcement should be aware of is encouraged to contact the Office of Attorney General at 800-385-1044 and ask for Agent Roby.
The case will be prosecuted by Senior Deputy Attorney General Janie Swinehart. Criminal charges, and any discussion thereof, are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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