MINISTRY OFFICIAL ARRESTED
‘NOVA EMPLOYEE CHARGED IN FED CHILD PORN PROBE
PHILADELPHIA » A Villanova University associate campus minister has admitted to investigators that he used the phone app Kik to receive a sexually explicit image of a girl described as a toddler, prosecutors outlined in court papers released this week.
Timothy O’Connell, 51, of Drexel Hill, is now facing federal charges of receiving child pornography in connection with the case.
The investigation that led to O’Connell’s arrest began in February when another man, Justyn Perez Colon, is alleged to have transmitted an image to an undercover FBI agent.
According to court documents, in February 2018, O’Connell communicated with Perez-Colon about the sexual exploitation of children. On Feb. 14, Perez-Colon, prosecutors alleged, transmitted an explicit image of the toddler to an undercover FBI agent. While being interviewed, Perez-Connell admitted to having sent the photos and videos of the girl to at least three or four other people using the Kik app on his phone.
Investigators say when they analyzed the phone belonging to Perez-Colon, he was commutating with a person later identified as O’Connell.
After having received an image of the toddler, O’Connell is alleged to have messaged back, “Cool. She is cute,” according to court documents. Images were then transmitted back to O’Connell with what investigators believed were screenshots of webpages showing images of pre-pubescent children. These images included a naked toddler about 1 or 2 years of age.
O’Connell was quoted by prosecutors as messaging back, saying, “Yes I’ve seen before those were the type I was talking about.”
Investigators say the Kik account that is alleged to have been used by O’Connell was registered in February. The account was accessed using a prepaid cell phone. The account was also accessed from O’Connell’s Drexel Hill home. The email address used for the Kik account was accessed at both O’Connell’s home and through a secured Villanova University account, prosecutors said in court papers.
In early July, a search warrant was issued for O’Connell’s home, his campus office and two vehicles he used.
According to prosecutors, when being interviewed by the FBI on July 10, O’Connell admitted to using various Kik accounts and email accounts to communicate with others about the exploitation of children. He also admitted to receiving the specific image of the toddler.
University officials released a statement following O’Connell’s arrest.
“Villanova University is appalled and horrified by these allegations,” it reads. “The university has suspended this individual and he is not permitted to return to campus. Villanova is fully cooperating with the FBI in its investigation.”