Pennsylvania man arrested for child pornography
PITTSBURGH — A Uniontown, Pennsylvania, man was charged in federal court for possessing and distributing child pornography Thursday after an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Hundreds of images of child pornography and more than a dozen videos were found in Ronald Rhodes's, 57, home after a December 2014 search warrant. The investigation by HSI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Pennsylvania State Police and the Uniontown Police Department is continuing with additional electronics and documents seized currently under forensic examination.
HSI requests that anyone with knowledge of this man's unsupervised contact with minors should contact the agency by calling the 24-hour HSI Tip line at 1-866-DHS-2ICE.
The public can also submit an online tip at www.ice.gov/tips or by downloading the Operation Predator smartphone app and submitting a tip via the app. All tips will remain anonymous.
The public can also submit an online tip at www.ice.gov/tips or by downloading the Operation Predator smartphone app and submitting a tip via the app. All tips will remain anonymous.
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 10,000 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 2014, more than 2,300 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.
HSI is a founding member and current chair of the Virtual Global Taskforce, an international alliance of law enforcement agencies and private industry sector partners working together to prevent and deter online child sexual abuse.
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