SMETHPORT — A Christian musician, pastor and previous Bradford retailer owner is in McKean County Jail, billed with much more than 880 felony counts of kid pornography.
Daniel W. Merrick, 64, of 858 Route 446, Smethport, is billed with 570 counts of youngster pornography — involving indecent get in touch with, 2nd-diploma felonies 316 counts of boy or girl pornography — involving nudity, 3rd-diploma felonies and 1 depend of prison use of a communications facility, a 3rd-diploma felony.
According to the legal criticism, State Law enforcement Laptop or computer Crimes received a CyberTip from Synchronoss Technologies, which is Verizon Cloud.
Between July 8 and Aug. 10, Synchronoss became aware of eight pictures and one video of kid pornography involving indecent call and a single impression of baby pornography involving nudity, all of which experienced been uploaded to Synchronoss’ infrastructure.
Synchronoss delivered to law enforcement the mobile cell phone selection which uploaded the photographs the cellphone was registered to Merrick, the complaint mentioned.
On Jan. 9, Trooper Robert Whyel with the state police computer system crimes device served a look for warrant for the information on the Verizon Cloud account for that cellular phone number. The success included 178 further images of kid pornography involving indecent make contact with and 139 involving nudity. The photos have been saved on a Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G there ended up various pics of Merrick on the account as nicely, the grievance mentioned.
On Feb. 10, a research warrant was executed on Merrick’s home, and Whyel spoke with Merrick on the scene. He informed the trooper that he “began viewing pornography due to his spouse refusing to be intimate with him,” the complaint said, which Merrick reported led to a “two-month curiosity in youngster pornography.”
The grievance study, “The curiosity under no circumstances entered the real earth and was only a fantasy.”
He explained to law enforcement that he experienced an habit and would look for assistance, the grievance examine.
Examining Merrick’s phone, the trooper located 383 photographs of boy or girl pornography involving indecent get hold of and 176 involving nudity, which includes an graphic that was located on the CyberTip, in accordance to the grievance.
Merrick was arraigned Friday before District Choose William Todd in Smethport. He was jailed in lieu of $20,000 bail. A preliminary hearing was scheduled for March 9.
Merrick is represented by lawyer Christopher Martini.
According to Merrick’s internet site, he retains a Ph.D., is a singer, musician, creator, preacher, pastor and composer. He finished Bible College and went into the U.S. Army in 1979 serving in lively, reserves and the Countrywide Guard right up until 2004. The web page indicated that Merrick is now the pastor of a Messianic Jewish congregation in Bradford and has a weekly Television set present on The Now Community Christian Tv.
The Merricks had operated a storefront on Primary Avenue in Bradford as RDJ Catalog Inc. in the early 2000s, closing in about 2004. The identify is still in use as a web site.
Merrick has, at occasions, been a landlord in the Metropolis of Bradford as very well.
