On July 28th Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele, Conshohocken Police Chief Michael Orler, Abington Township Police Chief William J.Kelly and the Pennsylvania Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force announced the arrest of Thomas J. Kaczmarek, 23, of Norristown for felony charges including Attempted Statutory Sexual Assault, Attempted Unlawful Contact with a Minor, Attempted Indecent Assault and Criminal Use of a Communication Facility.
On July 27, 2016, detectives from the ICAC Task Force, Montgomery County Detective Bureau and Homeland Security Investigation conducted a child predator undercover operation. Two ads for 14-year-old children were placed on multiple Internet sites known to be frequented by adults seeking children for sex. Several people responded to the ads, of which Kaczmarek was one. During the sting operation, Abington Detective and trained ICAC Task Force member Rick Beaghley posed as a 14-year-old girl and engaged in two-way, electronic communications with Kaczmarek. In these communications, Kaczmarek described the specific sex acts he wished to perform on the person he believed to be a 14-year-old female.
Through these conversations, a meeting was set for a hotel in Conshohocken so Kaczmarek could perform sexual acts on who he believed to be a 14-year-old girl. Kaczmarek arrived at the designated meeting location and was arrested by Montgomery County detectives and ICAC Task Force members. Kaczmarek was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Deborah A. Lukens. Bail was set at $100,000 cash. He failed to post bail and was remanded to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 11 a.m., August 11, 2016 in front of Magisterial District Judge Lukens.
Detectives of the Montgomery County Detective Bureau routinely work with ICAC Task Force and its affiliates to aggressively and proactively investigate Internet crimes of a sexual nature committed against children.
This case will be prosecuted by ADA and Captain of the Sex Crimes Unit M. Stewart Ryan.