Cambria County Man Faces New Child Pornography Charges

HARRISBURG – A Cambria County man, who was arrested in December 2007 by agents from the Child Predator Unit, faces new charges as a result of forensic agents discovering multiple instances of child pornography on his computers.

Attorney General Tom Corbett said that Allen Stossel, 43, Hastings, was arrested on Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2007 by agents from the Child Predator Unit. Agents also executed a search of Stossel's home, seizing multiple computers and digital storage devices which were analyzed by the Attorney General's Computer Forensics Unit as part of an ongoing investigation.

Corbett said as a result of the forensic examination, agents found six photographic images and fourteen videos which contained children under the age of 18 engaging in sexual activity.

According to the original criminal complaint in December of 2007, Stossel contacted what he thought was a 13-year-old girl and immediately attempted to determine if the agent was a child, commenting, "(I) don't want to be on Dateline" - referring to a popular network television program that identifies online predators.

Corbett said that Stossel allegedly requested a photo of the girl, and transmitted his own photos in return - including a nude photo of male genitalia. During that initial chat Stossel also allegedly transmitted webcam images of himself masturbating, telling the girl, "man, you better not be a cop."

Stossel is awaiting trial on the original charges of five counts of unlawful contact with a minor 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 new charges, 20 counts of sexual abuse of children, which each carry a maximum penalty of seven years in prison and a $15,000 fine, will be incorporated into the original case.

Stossel will be prosecuted in Cambria County by Deputy Attorney General Michael A. Sprow of the Attorney General's Child Predator Unit.