Man admits possessing child porn a second time

COURTHOUSE » A former East Norriton man on probation for possessing child pornography has admitted to possessing the illegal material again while residing most recently in New Hanover.

Dylan Gehris, 24, formerly of the 100 block of Stoney Way in East Norriton, pleaded guilty in Montgomery County Court to a charge of sexual abuse of children possessing child pornography in connection with incidents that occurred between August 2016 and March 2017 while he was residing at a home in the 3000 block of Middle Creek Road in New Hanover.

Judge William R. Carpenter deferred sentencing so that court officials can complete a background investigative report about Gehris, who remains in the county jail without bail while awaiting sentencing and faces a possible maximum sentence of five to 10 years in prison on the charge.

With the charges, county detectives alleged Gehris possessed six child pornographic images on his cellphone and 37 video uploads in a Dropbox account that was opened in his name. The cellphone videos depicted children under the age of 10 engaged in sexual acts with an adult, according to the criminal complaint.

The investigation of Gehris began when detectives received a tip from the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children that a Dropbox user was in possession of files of interest for child pornography. Investigators found 37 files of interest that depicted children under 18 engaged in sexual acts with another person or posing naked for the purpose of sexual gratification for the viewer, according to the criminal complaint.

Authorities traced the internet address of the user to the Middle Creek Road address and learned that Gehris, a convicted sex offender, was a resident of the house, according to the arrest affidavit. At the time Gehris was on probation for a previous arrest for possessing child pornography.

When detectives went to the home on March 28, 2017, Gehris admitted he uploaded child pornography files and that he retained them on his cellphone. Detectives conducted a forensic examination of the cellphone and uncovered the images.

According to court records, in October 2013, Gehris, then 20, was sentenced to five years’ probation after he pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography in connection with a May 2012 incident while he lived at the East Norriton residence. Detectives alleged they found numerous images of child porn on Gehris’ personal computer.

Because of his new arrest, Gehris also faces a hearing on charges he violated his 2013 probationary sentence.