HARRISBURG, PA — Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday announced charges against a Luzerne County resident accused of possessing child sexual abuse material.
Jeffrey A. Berlew, 65, is facing 51 felony counts of sexual abuse of children, as well as one count of criminal use of a communication facility. Investigators allege Berlew uploaded illicit material to Microsoft Bing, which led authorities to secure and execute a search warrant at his home.
“Anyone who possesses, views, or shares child sexual abuse material are re-victimizing the young people who could not consent to their images being shared online,” Attorney General Sunday said. “Our Child Predator Section continues to zealously pursue individuals who threaten the safety of Pennsylvania’s children.”
At his arraignment, Berlew’s bail was set at \$100,000. As part of the conditions, he is barred from having contact with minors and prohibited from accessing the internet.
The case will be prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Child Predator Section. Authorities emphasized that the charges are allegations, and Berlew, like all defendants, is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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