HARRISBURG – Attorney General Tom Corbett announced that agents from the Attorney General’s Child Predator Unit have arrested three men from Adams, Franklin and Berks counties, accused of using the Internet to sexually proposition what they believed were young girls, as well as sending sexually graphic photos to the girls or arranging to meet the girls for sex.
Corbett identified the defendants as Ryan J. Mumaw, 22, Gettysburg, Adams County; Franklin Shane Barrick, 37, Saint Thomas, Franklin County; and Jason Kokinda, 28, Topton, Berks County.
Corbett explained that all three men allegedly used Internet chat rooms and instant messaging services to contact and sexually proposition what they believed were young girls. The girls were actually undercover agents from the Attorney General’s Child Predator Unit, who were using the online profiles of children.
“Internet predators are actively using chat rooms and other Internet sites to search for young girls and boys, trying to steal the innocence of these children,” Corbett said. “The Attorney General’s Child Predator Unit was specifically created to identify and capture these predators before they can harm kids, and we are dedicated to carrying out that mission — to date, the unit has arrested 89 predators from Pennsylvania and several other states.”
Ryan J. Mumaw
Corbett said that Mumaw was arrested after allegedly using an Internet chat room to sexually proposition an undercover agent who was using the online profile of a 14-year old girl. Mumaw allegedly approached the girl in June 2007, asking her to “talk dirty to me,” and quickly offered to send the girl a nude webcam video of himself.
According to the criminal complaint, Mumaw also asked the girl to call him, and provided his telephone number, but cautioned the girl to delete the number from her cell phone so that her parents could not find it.
Corbett said that during a series of chats that followed, Mumaw allegedly sent the girl nude webcam videos of himself, as well as adult pornographic material. During one chat, when Mumaw was allegedly transmitting images of adults engaging in sex, he cautioned the girl to “don’t tell,” adding, “u r underage,” and “I’m adult.” He then instructed the girl how to erase their chats from her computer.
According to the criminal charges, Mumaw asked the girl if she would engage in various sex acts with him and also suggested that she get a webcam in order to send him nude images of herself.
Mumaw was arrested at his home on Friday, Aug. 31, 2007, by agents from the Attorney General’s Child Predator Unit, assisted by officers from the Cumberland Township, Adams County, Police Department. Agents also executed a search of Mumaw’s home, seizing a computer and a webcam. Those items will be analyzed by the Attorney General’s Computer Forensics Unit as part of a continuing investigation.
Mumaw is charged with two counts of unlawful contact with a minor, along with one count of criminal use of a computer. All of those charges are third-degree felonies, each punishable by up to seven years in prison and a $15,000 fine.
Mumaw was preliminarily arraigned on August 31, before Gettysburg Magisterial District Judge Mark D. Beauchat, and lodged in the Adams County Prison in lieu of $75,000 bail, awaiting a preliminary hearing. He was also ordered to have no unsupervised contact with minors and prohibited from using the Internet.
Mumaw will be prosecuted in Adams County by Deputy Attorney General Michael Sprow of the Attorney General’s Child Predator Unit.
Franklin Shane Barrick
Corbett said that Barrick was arrested after he allegedly engaged in a series of sexually graphic online chats with an undercover agent from the Child Predator Unit, who was using the online identity of a 13-year old girl. According to the criminal complaint, Barrick used an instant message service to contact the undercover agent in June 2007, and immediately sent the girl a nude webcam video of himself engaging in sexual activity.
Corbett said that Barrick repeatedly contacted the girl during June, July and August, sending her a series of nude pictures of himself, along with webcam videos showing sexual activity and adult pornography.
Corbett added that during the course of the investigation, Barrick allegedly used an Internet profile created in the name of “Phil Atwood,” a Carlisle, PA resident, to communicate with the girl. Agents from the Child Predator Unit determined that the real Atwood had no involvement in this case, and that his name and address were used to create an Internet profile without his knowledge or consent.
Barrick was arrested on Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2007, by agents from the Attorney General’s Child Predator Unit, assisted by Pennsylvania State Police, Chambersburg. Agents also executed a search of Barrick’s home, seizing three computers and two webcams. Those items will be analyzed by the Attorney General’s Computer Forensics Unit as part of a continuing investigation.
Barrick is charged with four counts of unlawful contact with a minor, along with one count of criminal use of a computer and one count of identity theft. All of those charges are third-degree felonies, each punishable by up to seven years in prison and a $15,000 fine.
Barrick was preliminarily arraigned on August 29, before Mercersburg Magisterial District Judge David Hawbaker, and lodged in the Franklin County Prison in lieu of $100,000 bail. Barrick waived his preliminary hearing on Sept. 4, 2007 and his case has been held for trial in Franklin County Court of Common Pleas.
Barrick will be prosecuted in Franklin County by Deputy Attorney General Michael Sprow of the Attorney General’s Child Predator Unit.
Jason Kokinda
Corbett said that Kokinda was arrested after traveling from his Berks County home to the Allentown area, in order to meet and have sex with what he believed was a 12-year old girl. The girl was actually an undercover agent from the Child Predator Unit who Kokinda had contacted online.
According to the criminal charges, Kokinda initially approached the girl in an Internet chat room on July 25, 2007, identifying himself as a 17-year old from the Kutztown area.
Corbett said that within minutes of his first contact, Kokinda allegedly sent the girl a nude photograph of himself and indicated his desire to meet her for sex, telling her, “I am pretty hot and horny, you’ll love me. it would be great to meet up today.”
Corbett explained that the undercover agent Kokinda initially contacted was from the Pittsburgh area. That agent told Kokinda she was chatting with another “girl” who lived closer to him, and provided Kokinda with the screen name of another undercover agent from eastern Pennsylvania.
According to the criminal charges, Kokinda contacted the second undercover agent on Aug. 2, 2007. He again claimed to be 17, but later admitted that he was older, adding that his “younger friends” online told him to say that he was a teenager. Kokinda told the girl that he ran a car repair business in Berks County and provided her with a web address and office telephone number to contact him.
Corbett said that during their first chat, Kokinda allegedly questioned the girl about her sexual experience and once again sent a nude photo of himself. He also proposed a meeting, telling the girl, “if I come over, we get naked.”
Kokinda was arrested by agents from the Attorney General’s Child Predator Unit, along with officers from the South Whitehall Police Department, after he allegedly arranged to meet the girl while she was visiting her “grandmother” in Allentown. He was taken into custody on Wednesday, August 15, when he arrived at a pre-determined meeting place in Allentown.
Corbett said that following Kokinda’s arrest, agents from the Attorney General’s Child Predator Unit, assisted by Berks-Lehigh Regional Police, executed a search of his home, seizing a laptop computer and two webcams. Those items will be analyzed by the Attorney General’s Computer Forensics Unit as part of a continuing investigation.
Kokinda is charged with one count of unlawful contact with a minor (related to rape or involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child), a first-degree felony punishable by up to 20-years in prison and a $25,000 fine. Kokinda is also charged with one count of unlawful contact with a minor (related to aggravated indecent assault), a second-degree felony punishable by up to 10-years in prison and a $25,000 fine.
Additionally, Kokinda is also charged with two counts of unlawful contact (related to obscene or sexual performances), along with one count of criminal use of a computer, all third-degree felonies each punishable by up to seven years in prison and a $15,000 fine.
Kokinda was preliminarily arraigned on August 15, before Allentown Magisterial District Judge Patricia Warmkessel, and lodged in the Lehigh County Prison in lieu of $150,000 bail, awaiting a preliminary hearing.
Kokinda will be prosecuted in Lehigh County by Deputy Attorney General Michael A. Sprow of the Attorney General’s Child Predator Unit.
Corbett thanked the Pennsylvania State Police, Chambersburg barracks, along with the Cumberland Township Police Department (Adams County), South Whitehall Police Department (Lehigh County) and Berks-Lehigh Regional Police Department for their cooperation and assistance with these investigations.
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. To date, the Attorney General’s Child Predator Unit has arrested 89 internet predators from Pennsylvania and several other states, including 15 during the 2007 summer vacation season, between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
“Even though summer vacation is over, and children have returned to school, predators are still using the Internet to search for new victims on a daily basis,” Corbett said. “I encourage parents to talk to their children about the dangers of meeting people who approach them online, and also stress the importance of reporting predators who sexually solicit children, or who send them sexually graphic photos or videos.”
Internet predators can be reported to the Child Predator Unit by calling 1-800-385-1044, or online at the Attorney General’s Web site.