AG: 10 arrested during ongoing child pornography investigation

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane announced Friday that 10 men across Pennsylvania have been arrested on unrelated charges as part of an ongoing effort to target the online sharing, downloading and distribution of child pornography.

Kane identified the defendants as:

• John Marinim, 22, 609 Newport Drive, Pittsburgh, Allegheny County;
• Anthony Osche, 23, 552 Elm St., Butler, Butler County;
• Stephen Umpirowicz, 57, 336 Old Route 68, Evans City, Butler County;
• Michael Portanova, 22, 507 North Broad St., Hazleton, Luzerne County;
• William Sheetz, 49, 345 South Wayne St., Unit 1, Lewistown, Mifflin County;
• Frederick Lattanzie, 45, 412 Ash St., Erie, Erie County;
• Daniel Lee Criswell, 42, 134 Saint Anthony St., Apt. 1, Lewisburg, Union County;
• Daniel Gonzalez-Cortes, 25, 135 Locust St., Reading, Berks County;
• Paul Milton, 34, 998 Blue Rock Lane, Whitpain, Montgomery County; and
• Roberto Carlos Guiterrez, 25, 214 Mill Grove Drive, Norristown, Montgomery County.

"Our agents and prosecutors did important work this week rounding up 10 alleged child predators. These investigations took anywhere from a few weeks to a few months," said Kane. "We work in tandem with local law enforcement in communities across the Commonwealth to put these predators behind bars, and I commend all parties involved for their diligence."

According to the criminal complaints for each of the defendants, agents conducting separate, unrelated online investigations found numerous images and video files containing depictions of children as young as 3 years old engaged in extremely sexually graphic acts and poses, which they later determined were downloaded and shared from each of the defendant's computers.

Marinim was arrested Friday by agents from the Attorney General's Child Predator Section and charged with five counts of possession of child pornography, five counts of distribution of child pornography and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

Osche was taken into custody by agents from the Attorney General's Child Predator Section on Nov. 5 with the assistance of the Butler County Police Department. Following a preliminary search of Osche's computer, agents located approximately 800 child pornographic videos.

A registered sex offender, Osche is charged with 30 counts of possession of child pornography, 5 counts of distribution of child pornography and one count of criminal use of a communication facility. He faces a 25-year prison sentence if convicted.

Osche was preliminarily arraigned before Magisterial District Judge C. Timothy Shaffer and held on $200,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Nov. 11.

Umpirowicz was arrested on Nov. 5. Agents located approximately 23 child pornographic photos following a preliminary search of Umpirowicz's computer. He is charged with 23 counts of possession of child pornography, 2 counts of distribution of child pornography and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

Portanova was arrested on Nov. 5 and charged with three counts of possession of child pornography, one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of criminal use of a communication facility. He was preliminarily arraigned by Magisterial District Judge Joseph J. Carmody and held on $25,000 bail.

Sheetz was taken into custody by agents from the Attorney General's Child Predator Section on Nov. 5. Agents located approximately 20 child pornographic photos following a preliminary search of Sheetz's computer. He is charged with 15 counts of possession of child pornography, 15 counts of distribution of child pornography and one count of criminal use of a communication facility. Sheetz was preliminarily arraigned at Mifflin County Central Booking.

On Nov. 4, Lattanzie turned himself into Western Region’s Child Predator Section at the Millcreek Police Department in Erie. A search warrant executed at Lattanzie's Erie residence on Oct. 18 yielded no contraband. Investigators spoke via phone with Lattanzie, who allegedly was working in Atlanta, Ga. Upon his return to Pennsylvania, Lattanzie voluntarily turned over a laptop, cell phone, tablet, several thumb drives and two external hard drives. Following a preliminary search by the Attorney General's Computer Forensics Unit, child pornographic files were located.

He is charged with 10 counts of possession of child pornography, five counts of distribution of child pornography and one count of criminal use of a communication facility. He was preliminarily arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Suzanne Mack and held on $50,000 bail. If released, Lattanzie is forbidden from having contact with minors, using the Internet or leaving the state. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Nov. 25.

Criswell was arrested on Nov. 4 and charged with 15 counts of distribution of child pornography, 15 counts of possession of child pornography and one count of criminal use of a communication facility. A preliminary search of Criswell's computer yielded 25 files of child pornography. He was preliminarily arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Leo Armbruster and held on $30,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Nov. 14.

Gonzalez-Cortes was taken into custody by agents from the Attorney General's Child Predator Section on Nov. 1. Agents located approximately 20 child pornographic photos following a preliminary search of Conzalez's computer. He 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. He was preliminarily arraigned at Berks County Central Booking.

Milton was arrested on Oct. 31 with the assistance of the Whitpain Township Police Department and charged with four counts of possession of child pornography, four counts of distribution of child pornography and one count of criminal use of a communication facility. He was preliminarily arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Robert Sobeck and held on $100,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Nov. 8.

Guiterrez was arrested on Oct. 31, and charged with five counts of distribution of child pornography, five counts of possession of child pornography and one count of criminal use of a communication facility. He was preliminarily arraigned at Montgomery County Central Booking and held on $50,000 bail.

WPXI