Saturday, July 11, 2009

David Burnett Arrested for Child Porn

A Sewickley Township man charged with more than 200 counts relating to child pornography is being held in the Westmoreland County Prison.

David Burnett, 21, of 296 Sutersville Road, faces charges of sexual abuse of children, dissemination of child pornography, computer trespass, criminal use of a communication facility and unlawful use of a computer.

Charges were filed July 2 by Greensburg Sgt. Robert Jones, a member of the state police Area III Computer Crimes Task Force. In addition, Westmoreland County detectives charged Burnett with statutory sexual abuse, aggravated indecent assault and criminal coercion.

Jeannette District Judge Joseph DeMarchis set a $25,000 bond for Burnett.

According to a criminal complaint filed by Jones, Burnett uploaded sexually explicit pictures of a 15-year-old Jeannette girl into a Myspace Web page. Burnett allegedly photographed the victim with his mobile phone between Jan. 19, 2008 and July 24, 2008, coercing her to perform sexual acts, according to the complaint.

"Burnett used ... access to her personal account to attempt to psychologically control the victim," the complaint read. "He would threaten her that he would disseminate the aforementioned sexually explicit photographs through her Myspace account to attempt to get her to do what he wanted."

A search warrant was served April 6 on Burnett's residence, during which police seized two computers and Burnett's mobile phone.

A forensic analysis of the phone recovered 10 photographs and eight movie files of Burnett and the victim engaged in sexual acts. The complaint alleges Burnett posted four explicit photographs of the victim on her Myspace account.

A preliminary hearing for Burnett will be held July 23 before DeMarchis.

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