State College firefighter suspended, search warrants detail police investigation
An Alpha Fire Company firefighter is under investigation after being confronted — and filmed — about receiving lewd images from children and sending sexually explicit messages to someone who posed as a 15-year-old girl.
The fire department that covers much of Happy Valley wrote in a Facebook post last week that a member was suspended because of behavior that is “inconsistent with our values and our policies.” It is not known if the 46-year-old Lemont man has a defense lawyer.
The Centre Daily Times is not identifying him by name because he has not been charged. Centre Region Council of Governments Fire Director Steve Bair did not immediately respond Wednesday; a staff member said he was out of the office.
“The actions of a single member will never define our department,” the nonprofit wrote in the Facebook post, which did not include details about the investigation. “Our staff and volunteers will continue to persevere in this difficult time by continuing to provide the unparalleled quality service that is the hallmark of our organization.”
Centre County District Attorney Bernie Cantorna declined comment Wednesday, writing in a text message that he would “let the documents speak for themselves.”
The man swapped messages through the anonymous chat app Whisper with someone who posed as a 15-year-old girl, a Patton Township police officer wrote in a search warrant obtained Wednesday by the CDT.
The man, police wrote, sent lewd photographs and discussed having oral and vaginal sex. He was confronted last week at a retailer along North Atherton Street by the male behind the phony account.
“It’s wrong. It’s completely wrong. I knew it was wrong the whole ... time,” the man said during an interaction that’s been viewed on YouTube more than 18,000 times as of Wednesday afternoon. “Morals, all that stuff. I know better.”
The firefighter said he received “a few” images of child pornography on the app before. He estimated messaging about a dozen children on the app.
“I’m just seeing everything I’ve worked for — everything I’ve done — just disappearing,” the man said.
He later added: “I don’t have any excuse. I f----- up.”
Five police officers searched the man’s home Dec. 7. Investigators seized at least four iPhones and two computers. Township police Chief Tyler Jolley declined comment.
This story was originally published December 14, 2022 at 2:33 PM.