Jul 11, 2017 2 min read

A North Strabane Township man was arrested Friday by township police on child pornography charges after authorities seized his computer under a federal search warrant executed at his home by township police and agents with U.S. Homeland Security Investigations.

Brett Carl Donas, 21, of 107 Amber Woods Drive, was taken into custody after he turned himself in to police at their station.

Homeland Security agents were connected to a peer-to-peer network conducting an investigation into child pornography. Between Jan. 2 and Feb. 23, agents made at least 48 successful downloads of pornography from an IP address. A search warrant was obtained, and the IP address was linked to 107 Amber Woods, authorities said. U.S. Magistrate Judge Maureen Kelley issued the warrant on March 23. Seized from Donas’ home were numerous electronic items. The items were analyzed by a certified federal computer forensics analyst.

Donas was interviewed by federal agents and allegedly admitted to using peer-to-peer networks. He reportedly claimed he might have downloaded images of child pornography numerous times out of negligence. Investigators said the files were downloaded on two laptop computers found at the home, with most of them found on the laptop that was in Donas’ room. He reportedly told investigators he was the only one with access to that laptop.

Donas was arraigned before District Judge Traci McDonald on 48 counts of dissemination of child pornography, 462 counts of possession of child pornography and one count of unlawful duplication. He was placed in Washington County jail on $150,000 bond. A preliminary hearing is set for July 17 before District Judge Jay Weller.