Man charged with secretly recording children in park, other child porn activities

ALLENTOWN, Pa. – A man who is suspected of recording kids changing their clothes in Dorney Park in Allentown was charged today in federal court for producing, distributing and possessing child pornography after a joint U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Abington Township investigation.

Kurt Eichert, 51, of Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania, was charged today by indictment with one count of production of child pornography, two counts of distribution of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography.

The indictment alleges that on or about June 2005 to on or about September 2015, Eichert produced child pornography.  Eichert is alleged to have surreptitiously recorded children changing their clothes in Dorney Park.  Eichert is also charged with distributing child pornography in May 2015 and possessing images of child pornography in September 2015. 

If convicted the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 80 years in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison.

The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh A. Davison.

This investigation was conducted under HSI’s Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators. Since the launch of Operation Predator in 2003, HSI has arrested more than 14,000 individuals for crimes against children, including the production and distribution of online child pornography, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children. In fiscal year 2015, nearly 2,400 individuals were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative and more than 1,000 victims identified or rescued.

HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. From outside the U.S. and Canada, callers should dial 802-872-6199. Hearing impaired users can call TTY 802-872-6196.

Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST.

For additional information about wanted suspected child predators, download HSI’s Operation Predator smartphone app or visit the online suspect alerts page.