CLEARFIELD – Clearfield County District Attorney, William A. Shaw, Jr., announced Thursday that charges have been filed against a Clearfield man for possession of child pornography. Shaw identified the defendant as Jerry Kovach, Sr., age 69, of Walnut Street, Clearfield.
On Jan. 13, 2011, then-Assistant Chief Vince McGinnis of the Clearfield Borough Police Department filed a criminal complaint charging Kovach with: 1) sexual abuse of children-dissemination of photographs, videotapes, computer depictions and films, F3; 2) sexual abuse of children- possession of child pornography; 3) criminal use of a communication facility, F3; and 4) obscene and other sexual material and performances, F3.
An affidavit of probable cause filed by McGinnis states that on Aug. 4, 2010, Trooper David Powell of the Pennsylvania State Police Computer Crime Unit searched the Gnutella network for files which depicted child pornography. Powell was able to directly connect to a computer that shared files depicting children performing sexual acts.
Powell was able to use the I.P. address assigned to the computer to determine the customer information belonging to that I.P. address. The I.P. address was found to belong to Kovach, at his Walnut Street residence. A search warrant was obtained and served at the residence. At that time, a computer was seized and found to contain computer depictions of children under the age of 18 years of age engaging in a prohibited sexual acts or the simulation of such acts. Kovach was at the residence during the execution of the search warrant.
The defendant was taken into custody on Jan. 13, 2011 and arraigned on the charges. Bail has been set at $50,000.00 and a preliminary hearing has been scheduled for Jan. 19, 2011.
Shaw stated that he was pleased with the efforts made by the Pennsylvania State Police to identify the suspect, as well as the quick response of the Clearfield Borough Police Department to make an arrest in this matter. Shaw also noted that complaints of this nature are extremely troubling and every effort must be made to investigate and prosecute those who possess and disseminate child pornography.
Anyone with knowledge of a crime is asked to call Clearfield County Crimestoppers at 800-376-4700. All calls to Crimestoppers are confidential. Anonymous tips can also be submitted by visiting the Clearfield County District Attorney Web site and selecting “Report A Crime”.