Counter Pedophilia Investigate Unit

ST. THOMAS, U.S. Virgin Islands – A 35-year-old predator pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography charges here today after a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) investigation.

ICE special agents took Bradley Douglas Highbarger, of St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands (USVI) in custody in July 2006 after a search warrant of his residence led to the seizure of his computer. A subsequent forensic analysis of the seized material revealed approximately 78 video clips and more than 30 images containing explicit images of child pornography.

In his guilty plea, Highbarger admitted to using a peer-to-peer software program to receive an illegal video and a separate illegal image in July 2006. Peer-to-peer networks allow users connected to the Internet to link their computers with other computers around the world and share information and files.

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CANONSBURG – Attorney General Tom Corbett today announced that agents from the Attorney General’s Child Predator Unit have arrested a Lawrence County man accused of using the Internet to sexually proposition what he believed was a 13-year-old girl. The “girl” was actually an undercover agent from the Child Predator Unit who was using the online profile of a child.

Corbett identified the defendant as Leroy Maloni, 69, 3511 State Route 208, Apt. 4, New Wilmington.

Corbett said that Maloni allegedly used an Internet chat room to approach an undercover agent on May 14, 2008, asking her detailed questions about her physical appearance, her manner of schooling and what she liked to do for “fun.”

Corbett said that Maloni allegedly continued to contact the girl online, eventually escalating the tone of the conversations and repeatedly expressing his desire to meet her for sex.

According to the criminal complaint, Maloni made arrangements to meet with the child at a place to be determined in Canonsburg on June 17, 2008 at around 10:00 am.

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