Tamaqua Man Charged with Possession of Illicit Images Involving Children

The Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office is charing a Tamaqua man with possessing images and videos depicting child pornography.

According to court papers filed recently and obtained by The Canary, Joshua Warfel, 35, was arrested early last Wednesday (Oct. 2) morning following an investigation that allegedly determined he used several social media apps to receive and download explicit images that included children.

At 6:23 a.m. last Wednesday, agents from the Attorney General’s Office along with local law enforcement officials executed a search warrant at Warfel’s home on Arlington St. in Tamaqua. 

When law enforcement officials interviewed Warfel on scene last week, he allegedly admitted to receiving a link on Telegram that led to between 300-500 child pornography images and videos.

Warfel allegedly also told investigators that a cell phone and laptop in his possession would also contain illicit videos of children engaged in sexual acts with adults. Investigators say they searched a cell phone in Warfel’s residence that contained 35 illegal files containing that material. 

An investigation into Warfel began in late-August when the state Attorney General’s Office received CyberTips from three different online platforms: Facebook, Instagram, and Kik. 

Investigators say all three tips led back to Warfel and that he used these apps to receive images and videos that contained illicit material.

Warfel was arraigned last week before District Magistrate Stephen Bayer and remanded to Schuylkill County Prison on $50,000 cash bail. That bail has not been posted. A Preliminary Hearing is scheduled for Tuesday morning before Bayer. 

At Tuesday’s hearing, Warfel will have to answer to 35 felony charges of possessing child pornography, three felony counts of disseminating illicit material, and a felony count of criminal use of a communication device.