HARRISBURG – Attorney General Tom Corbett today announced that agents from the Attorney General’s Child Predator Unit have arrested a Newark, Delaware man, along with a Cambria County man, both accused of using the Internet to sexually proposition what they believed were young girls, as well as sending sexually explicit photos or webcam videos to the girls.
Corbett identified the defendants as Marc Anthony Pasierb, Saint Michael, Cambria County, and William Wesley Betts III, Newark, Delaware.
Corbett explained that Pasierb and Betts were arrested as the result of two separate undercover investigations conducted by agents from the Child Predator Unit. In each case, the undercover agents were using the online profiles of 13-year old girls.
Marc Pasierb
According to the criminal charges, Pasierb used an Internet chat room to approach an undercover agent on June 5, 2007, initially claiming to be a 10-year old boy. Later in the conversation Pasierb allegedly acknowledged that he was 28-years old, and began questioning the girl about her boyfriends and her sexual experience, asking, “Do you like playing, sexually,” and, “Did you ever do anything with older men?”
Corbett said that Pasierb allegedly directed the girl to view his photos and personal profile on MySpace.com, and urged her to meet him for sex. At one point, Pasierb suggested that they meet at an amusement park located near his home, asked the girl, “How could you get there for us to meet?”
According to the criminal complaint, Pasierb repeatedly requested nude photos of the girl, telling her to have a friend take them and then, “send them and delete them,” so her parents would not find the pictures. When the girl replied that she did not have money to buy a digital camera, Pasierb allegedly told her, “Kiss me and I’ll give you some.”
Corbett said that on June 15, 2007, Pasierb allegedly sent the girl a live webcam video of himself engaging in sexual activity.
Pasierb was arrested at his home on July 20, 2007, by agents from the Child Predator Unit.
Pasierb is charged with one count of unlawful contact with a minor and one count of criminal use of a computer, both third-degree felonies each punishable by up to seven years in prison and a $15,000 fine.
He was preliminarily arraigned before Sidman (Cambria County), Magisterial District Judge Rick Varner and released on $125,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for August 8, at 11 a.m., before Magisterial District Judge Varner.
Pasierb will be prosecuted in Cambria County by Deputy Attorney General William A. Caye of the Attorney General’s Child Predator Unit.
William Betts III
According to the criminal charges, Betts initially contacted an undercover agent from the Child Predator Unit on April 30, 2007. During that first chat, the undercover agent identified herself as a 13-year old girl from Pennsylvania, to which Betts allegedly responded, “Wow, you’re young.”
Corbett said that Betts allegedly questioned the girl about her sexual interests and experience and sent her a graphic nude picture, commenting, “A virgin can be fun.” Betts also allegedly urged the girl to get a digital camera or camera-phone in order to send him some “sexy” or nude photos.
Betts was taken into custody on Thursday, July 26, 2007, in Newark, Delaware, by agents from the Child Predator Unit and officers from the New Castle County Police Department.
Officers from the New Castle County Police Department also executed a search of Betts’ residence, seizing a computer and data storage devices. Those items will be analyzed by the Attorney General’s Computer Forensics Unit as part of this continuing investigation.
Betts was transported to Dauphin County on Monday, July 30, 2007, and preliminarily arraigned before Harrisburg Magisterial District Judge Joseph Solomon and lodged in the Dauphin County Jail in lieu of $250,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for August 8, at 9 a.m., in Dauphin County Central Court.
Betts is charged with one count of unlawful contact with a minor and one count of criminal use of a computer, both third-degree felonies each punishable by up to seven years in prison and a $15,000 fine.
Betts will be prosecuted in Dauphin County by Deputy Attorney General Michael A. Sprow of the Attorney General’s Child Predator Unit.
Corbett thanked the New Castle County, Delaware, Police Department for their cooperation and assistance with this investigation.
Child Predator Unit
Corbett explained that the Child Predator Unit was created to conduct proactive undercover investigations in order to identify and arrest Internet predators before they can harm children. Pasierb and Betts are the 84th and 85th Internet predators arrested since the Child Predator Unit was created in January 2005.
“I encourage parents to regularly discuss Internet safety with their children, including the dangers of chatting with strangers or meeting people who approach them online,” Corbett said. “It is equally important that children and adults report suspected predators who sexually solicit them online, or who send sexually graphic photos or videos.”