North Strabane police charge Beaver County man with child pornography
A Beaver County man was arrested Tuesday night by North Strabane Township police on charges including unlawful contact with a minor and child pornography after he allegedly contacted an officer in a chatroom, believing he was conversing with a 14-year-old girl.
Joseph H. Kaluza, 66, of New Brighton, also is charged with statutory sexual assault and corruption of minors.
Officer Gary Scherer said he was monitoring a teen chatroom, assuming the identity of a fictitious 14-year-old Canonsburg girl, when he was contacted July 16 by a man who identified himself as Kaluza and provided a telephone number.
Kaluza allegedly was contacting other girls from Pennsylvania in the public teen chatroom between his first contact with Scherer and Aug. 1. During a video chat, Kaluza allegedly exposed himself to the officer, thinking he was the girl. He allegedly asked the supposed 14-year-old to get a web camera and send him naked pictures. Kaluza also allegedly wanted to take the 14-year-old to a hotel and perform various sex acts. He also left 36 voicemail messages of a sexual nature and sent three videos of his face and genitals, Scherer said.
“When I talked to him after he was arrested, he admitted to looking at child pornography,” Scherer added. “He said he likes younger girls.”
Police seized Kaluza’s computer and cellphone. Scherer said those will be forensically analyzed.
Police Chief Brian Hughes said Scherer underwent training and has been the department’s Megan’s Law compliance officer for more than a year.
“Gary has been assigned to the department’s sexual offender program and checks on registered sexual offenders who live or work in the township,” Hughes said. “They are required to self-report, but he has found a number in violation.”
The chief said while the state attorney general’s office has a unit that investigates sexual predators, the township’s program helps protect young people in North Strabane and the Canonsburg area from being solicited by predators.
Kaluza was arraigned before District Judge Traci McDonald and placed in Washington County jail on $50,000 bond. He is scheduled for an Aug. 16 preliminary hearing before District Judge Jay Weller.