February 6, 2015

Northampton County, Pennsylvania Man Charged with Downloading Images of Child Sexual Abuse

NEWARK, NJ—A Northampton County, Pennsylvania, man was arrested at his home this morning for allegedly downloading multiple images and videos of child sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

Derrick Baer, 32, of Bath, Pennsylvania, and formerly of Pohatcong, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with one count of receiving child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography. He is scheduled to make his initial court appearance later today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cathy L. Waldor in Newark federal court.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court.

In May 2010, in connection with an investigation into a suspicious death at Baer’s residence, law enforcement obtained Baer’s consent to seize computer equipment in his residence. A subsequent forensic review of that equipment made pursuant to a search warrant revealed 368 images and 29 video files of child pornography. Law enforcement later determined that Baer used a file sharing program to download multiple files in January and February 2009.

The receipt of child pornography count with which Baer is charged is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison, a minimum penalty of five years in prison, and a fine of $250,000. The possession count is punishable by a maximum potential sentence of 10 years in prison.

U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Eric Welling in Newark; the Pohatcong Township Police Department, under the direction of Chief Jeffrey S. Greenemeir; and the Warren County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Richard T. Burke, with the investigation leading to today’s arrest.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney David W. Feder of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.

The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.