Jun 3, 2014 2 min read

WAYNESBURG – A Jefferson Township man pleaded guilty to child pornography charges Friday in Greene County Court.

Detective Robert Erdely with the state police computer crimes unit arrested Larry Keith Augustine, 57, of 415 Sharpnack Hollow Road, last February after he found images of child pornography on Augustine’s computer. Erdely said Augustine was using the peer-to-peer file sharing application known as ARES.

Erdely downloaded the file from Augustine, which contained an IP address, and traced it to him. Erdely said the image was of a naked pre-pubescent girl lying on what appeared to be a bed. He estimated the child’s age to be roughly 10 years old. The girl was looking at the camera and her private parts were visible directly facing the camera, Erdely said.

Erdely obtained a search warrant and seized items from Augustine’s residence on Feb. 16, 2013. A forensic examination was conducted on the items and a large number of images and videos depicting child pornography were recovered. These images and videos included adults engaged in various sexual acts with prepubescent children, according to Erdely. A large percentage of the files were archived by Augustine on optical media discs, Erdely said.

Augustine will undergo an assessment by the Sex Offender Registration Notification Act board to determine if he is a sexually violent predator before he is sentenced. Regardless of the SORNA assessment, Augustine will be required to register under Megan’s Law as a sex offender for the felony counts of disseminating photo/film of child sex acts and child pornography.

Augustine remains free on $10,000 unsecured bond.