Man waives child porn charges
SAXONBURG — A Penn Township man on Wednesday waived a preliminary hearing on charges of possessing and disseminating child pornography.
The state Attorney General's Office last week arrested 26-year-old Zachary S. Burnside following an online investigation that began Sept. 19.
During the investigation agents discovered two explicit video files that were being shared by an Internet Protocol address, authorities said. Investigators subsequently tracked the host computer to Burnside's home.
That allowed agents to obtain a search warrant for the house. In Burnside's bedroom, according to court documents, authorities found a cell phone that contained more than 50 files of apparent child porn.
At least some of the files depicted children participating in sex acts or poses.
After waiving his hearing before District Judge Sue Haggerty in Saxonburg, Burnside's attorney, public defender Ryan Helsel, asked that his client be given unsecured bail.
Helsel noted there are no allegations that Burnside touched or tried to have contact with any children.
Haggerty agreed to set Burnside's new bail at $50,000 unsecured, meaning that as long as he showed up to his hearings and did not commit any crimes, he could stay out of prison.
A full report will appear in the Butler Eagle.
