Cheltenham man headed to jail for possessing child porn

Judge said Nabil Nisar, 26, must report to jail on Nov. 4

NORRISTOWN >> A judge has ordered a Cheltenham Township man to report to jail next month after the man admitted to possessing child pornography on his cellphone.

Nabil Nisar, 26, of the 8400 block of Limekiln Pike in the Wyncote section of the township, was sentenced in Montgomery County Court to 11½ to 23 months in the county jail after he pleaded guilty to two felony counts of possessing child pornography in connection with incidents that occurred between March and April 2021.

Judge Wendy G. Rothstein, who accepted a plea agreement in the case, ordered Nisar to report to the county jail in Lower Providence on Nov. 4 to begin serving the period of incarceration. The judge added Nisar is not eligible for the jail’s work release program.

The judge also ordered Nisar to complete five years’ probation following parole, meaning Nisar will be under court supervision for seven years.

During the parole and probationary periods, Nisar’s internet usage will be monitored by probation officials who must approve his use of any electronic devices.

Nisar also faces a 15-year requirement to report his address to state police in order to comply with Pennsylvania’s Sexual Offender Registration and Notification Act.

Assistant District Attorney Jediah Grobstein handled the case. Defense lawyer Julia Rogers represented Nisar.

An investigation of Nisar began on March 26, 2021, when county detectives received a CyberTip generated through a complaint initiated by the social media platform Kik which identified a user of the platform as uploading suspected child pornography files, according to the criminal complaint filed by county Det. James J. Reape.

Kik provided a total of 18 video files that depicted children under the age of 18 engaged in prohibited sexual acts, detectives alleged. Some of the videos included depictions of infants being sexually abused, according to the arrest affidavit.

Detectives traced the Kik account to an internet address linked to Nisar.

On April 30, 2021, detectives served a search warrant at Nisar’s residence and seized his iPhone. A forensic review of the cellphone uncovered a total of 200 images of children under the age of 18 engaged in prohibited sexual acts or poses. Of those 200 images 38 were of children under 13, according to court documents.

When Nisar was interviewed by detectives he admitted to viewing and sharing child pornography files through the Kik app, Reape alleged.

A charge of criminal use of a communication facility was dismissed against Nisar as part of the plea agreement.