Cecil man arrested on child porn charges
A Cecil Township man was arrested Thursday by township police on charges including possession of child pornography, corruption of minors and criminal solicitation after he allegedly received sexually suggestive photos and videos from a 15-year-old girl.
Thomas Matthew Tolomeo, 48, of 123 Majestic Drive, also is charged with sexual abuse of a child, unlawful contact with a minor, criminal use of a communications facility, criminal coercion and harassment.
The alleged victim’s mother reportedly told a detective from another police department about information on her daughter’s iPad Mini. The detective saw messages exchanged between the girl and another cellphone user. The person with the other cellphone reportedly expressed a desire to engage in sexual activity with the girl. At least one of the messages was sent in October. The cellphone user also asked the girl to send pictures of herself to him.
Police said the cellphone number was traced back to Tolomeo. The detective obtained search warrants for devices associated with the cellphone number and for the digital content of the cellphone. The phone allegedly contained images and videos of the girl when she was nude, partially nude or engaging in sexual activity.
The alleged victim reportedly told the detective that Tolomeo threatened to tell her mother after seeing nude photographs that she exchanged with a boy. She claimed that she sent Tolomeo a nude photograph of herself and agreed to send more out of fear he would tell her mother.
Tolomeo was arraigned before District Judge Traci McDonald and released from Washington County jail after posting $150,000 bond. He is scheduled for a Jan. 4 preliminary hearing before McDonald.