HARRISBURG, PA — A Blair County resident has been charged with multiple felony offenses related to the possession and dissemination of child sexual abuse materials, including artificially-generated images, Pennsylvania authorities announced.
Joseph B. Hazlett, 43, faces seven felony charges following an investigation led by the Office of Attorney General’s Child Predator Section. One of the charges involves a statute recently added to state law, addressing artificially-generated depictions of children.
The investigation began after authorities received a tip involving explicit materials circulating on the social media platform Snapchat. Investigators traced the materials to an IP address associated with Hazlett. A search warrant was executed, leading to the discovery of illicit content on Hazlett’s cellphone.
“These cases are extremely concerning because they involve a deep commitment to violating and abusing children,” said Attorney General Dave Sunday in a statement. He added his appreciation for the legislature’s focus on combating such offenses through updated legal tools.
The prosecution of this case will be handled by Senior Deputy Attorney General Janie Swinehart from the Office of Attorney General’s Child Predator Section. Hazlett was recently arraigned, with bail set at $50,000 unsecured.
Authorities remind the public that all charges against Hazlett are allegations, and he is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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