Pennsylvania State Police, ICE HSI Philadelphia arrest man on child exploitation charges

PHILADELPHIA – On July 15, the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) announced the execution of state search and arrest warrants at Church Road, Guilford Township, Franklin County, Pennsylvania following an investigation by Pennsylvania State Police, ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) and PSP Chambersburg Station.

David Paul Robinson, 31, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, was arrested and charged with numerous offenses including the rape of a child, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, unlawful contact with a minor, manufacturing and dissemination of child abuse material, and other related charges.

The operation took place after PSP received information from ICAC and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) indicating that an individual had been disseminating and manufacturing child pornography material. NCMEC had received this information from an online chat service reporting the incidents. Upon review, it was believed that several of the images could depict newly produced material.

Robinson was arraigned before a district magistrate and incarcerated in the Franklin County Prison on $800,000 bail.

This investigation was conducted under HSI’s Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators. Since the launch of Operation Predator in 2003, HSI has arrested more than 25,000 individuals for crimes against children, including the production and distribution of online child exploitation material, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children. In fiscal year 2019, more than 3,500 child predators were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative and more than 1,000 victims identified or rescued.

HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. From outside the U.S. and Canada, callers should dial 802-872-6199. Hearing impaired users can call TTY 802-872-6196.

Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to NCMEC, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST.

For additional information about wanted suspected child predators, download HSI’s Operation Predator smartphone app or visit the online suspect alerts page. HSI is a founding member of the Virtual Global Taskforce, an international alliance of law enforcement agencies and private industry sector partners working together to prevent and deter online child sexual abuse.