Jim Thorpe man arrested on child pornography charges

A 32-year-old Jim Thorpe man was charged Wednesday by a special agent of the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General’s Child Predator Section on child pornography charges for allegedly sexually exploiting children on the internet.

Michael J. Harman of South Avenue was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Eric M. Schrantz in Jim Thorpe, on two counts of child pornography and one count each of disseminating photographs/film of child sex acts and criminal use of a communication facility.

Kathleen Fallon, the attorney general’s agent who specializes in undercover online investigations, said Harman committed the sexual abuse of children crimes between May 7 and July 19.

Fallon’s affidavit of probable cause states she, along with other agents from the attorney general’s office, personnel from Homeland Security Investigations and the Pennsylvania State Police, executed a search warrant at Harman’s residence.

They identified Harman as the sole user of a Tumblr account that was referred to her from the National Center for Missing and Endangered Children.

The officer said NCMEC received a cyber tip by Tumbir.com that indicated the posting of sexually explicit images of children.

Fallon reviewed the files and confirmed they depicted children under the age of 18 engaged in sexual acts and/or posing in what is believed to be child pornography in violation of a section of the state’s crimes code relating to sexual abuse of children.

A subpoena was issued to identify Harman through his internet account.

Fallon said police searched Hartman’s residence on July 19, when the defendant admitted using the Tumblr.com application for about the past year.

He told officials he observed child pornography habitually, and also viewed adult pornography.

Harman admitted he would repost pictures of children on his own blog because, he said, he “did not have any friends and is anti-social,” the affidavit states.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 4:20 p.m. Aug. 8.