Perkiomen man setenced to state prison for possessing child porn

Benjamin J. Thompson, 36, of Perkiomenville, was sentenced to 2 to 15 years in a state correctional facility after pleading guilty to multiple counts of possession of child pornography from incidents that occurred in 2022 and 2023.

According to court records and The Mercury, Judge Risa Vetri Ferman ordered Thompson to be evaluated for sex offender supervision and prohibited him from having contact with minors while under court supervision. Also, Thompson must comply with Pennsylvania’s Sexual Offender Registration and Notification Act for 15 years.

The investigation into Thompson's activities was conducted by the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General’s Child Predator Section. It began in October 2022 when an undercover agent discovered a chat application user offering child pornography for sale, authorities said.

The seller provided photos depicting child pornography involving young children and offered to sell 50 videos for $55 to $70, per charging documents. The undercover agent received payment instructions through PayPal, which later provided subscriber records that linked Thompson to the purchases, per the report.

In March 2023, state agents executed a search warrant at Thompson's residence and seized his iPhone. Thompson admitted to using a chat application to purchase child pornography for $50. He revealed that some of the videos depicted children as young as two to three years old, authorities said.

A forensic examination of his cellphone uncovered 40 videos of child pornography involving minors under the age of 18, investigators allege.

The identity of the seller remains unknown, and it is unclear whether the seller faced charges.

A charge of criminal use of a communication facility was dismissed against Thompson.  

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