HARRISBURG — Agents from the Attorney General’s Child Predator Unit have arrested a Clarion County man who is accused of using Internet chat rooms to repeatedly direct graphic sexual proposals toward what he believed was a 13-year old girl, suggesting that the teen meet him for various sex acts, including sex with multiple people and sex with a dog. The “girl” was actually an undercover agent from the Child Predator Unit who was using the online profile of a child.
Attorney General Tom Corbett identified the defendant as Brandon Lee Galford, 27, Clarion.
Corbett said that Galford, using the screen name “nonamebob88,” allegedly used an Internet chat room to make initial contact with the undercover agent in January 2010. He is the 259th arrest in Pennsylvania by the Child Predator Unit.
According to the criminal complaint, Galford sent several digital photos of himself during that first conversation, including clothed and nude images. Galford also allegedly asked the girl if she had ever engaged in sexual activity with her father, if he could see her nude and if they could meet for sex.
Corbett said that over the next several weeks Galford allegedly engaged in a series of online chats that focused on his desire to perform various sex acts with the girl. Galford also allegedly sent webcam videos that showed him masturbating in front of his computer, along with pornographic videos that served as examples of the sexual activity he wanted to engage in.
According to the criminal complaint, Galford sent videos that showed multiple men performing sex acts with a woman, asking the girl, “would you wanna try that?” Galford also allegedly sent videos that showed a woman involved in sex acts with a dog, asking, “would you —- a dog if I brought it?”
Additionally, Corbett said that Galford allegedly urged the girl to visit him, commenting, “You should come to my area so I can get you pregnant,” and also asked if he could have sex with both the girl and her mother.
Galford was arrested at his home on May 3 by agents from the Attorney General’s Child Predator Unit, assisted by officers from the Clarion Police Department.
Galford is charged with six counts of unlawful contact with a minor (related to obscene or sexual materials) and one count of criminal use of a computer, all third-degree felonies which are each punishable by up to seven years in prison and $15,000 fines.
The criminal charges were filed before Clarion Magisterial District Judge Duane L. Quinn, who ordered that Galford be jailed in lieu of $100,000 cash bail and prohibited him from having any unsupervised contact with minors or using the Internet. Galford waived his preliminary hearing and formal arraignment and is currently awaiting trial in Clarion County Court of Common Pleas.
Galford will be prosecuted in Clarion County by Deputy Attorney General William F. Caye II of the Attorney General’s Child Predator Unit.
Corbett thanked the Clarion Police Department for their cooperation and assistance in this investigation.
Internet Safety
“Predators are aggressively using Internet websites, chat rooms, instant message programs and other technology to search for children they can sexually abuse,” Corbett said. “As summer vacation season quickly approaches, it is essential for parents to discuss online safety with their children, including the importance of reporting any situation where strangers engage in sexually explicit chats, attempt to arrange meetings or send graphic photos or videos.”
Corbett noted that the Attorney General’s Child Predator Unit has arrested 259 online predators since it was created in January 2005, adding that online activity by predators typically increases during the summer months.
“The arrival of summer triggers a jump in the number of incidents involving online predators, who know that many young people are spending additional time online and longer periods of time home alone or unsupervised,” Corbett said. “Online security should be regular topic of discussion for every family that uses the Internet, cell phones, online game systems or any other device that can give a predator access to your home.”
Corbett encouraged parents to monitor how their children use the Internet, including:
- What websites they use.
- What social networking sites they may frequent (MySpace, Facebook, etc).
- The importance of not sharing personal information with strangers (names, ages, addresses, schools or other identifying information).
- Avoiding strangers who approach them online.
- Reporting any contact with individuals who engage in sexual discussions or attempt to send graphic photos or videos.
Corbett noted that predators communicate with children in many different ways, using public or private online chat rooms, instant message programs, text messages, email, cell phones and webcams. He added that predators now stalk a variety of online sites, including social networking websites like MySpace and Facebook; Internet message boards; video game sites; and even online classified ads on Craigslist.
“It is essential for parents to understand how quickly online conversations can progress from initial contact to sexually explicit content,” Corbett said. “Often, predators will begin a sexually graphic discussion within minutes of contacting a child, and many suspects transmit nude photos or explicit videos during their first online meeting.”
Reporting Online Predators
Corbett said that suspected Internet predators can be reported to the Attorney General’s Child Predator Unit by using the “Report a Predator” link, located on the front page of the Attorney General’s Web site. Individuals with information about potential Internet predators can also call the Attorney General’s Child Predator Hotline, at 1-800-385-1044.
Additionally, Corbett said that safety tips and other information are available in the “Operation Safe Surf” and “Just for Kids” sections of the Attorney General’s website. Also, organizations interested in materials, speakers or presentations, may contact the Attorney General’s Education and Outreach Office at 1-800-525-7642 or via email at education@attorneygeneral.gov.