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John Heaton IV, 59, of Southampton, was arrested on child pornography charges on Thursday, Oct. 24, the Upper Southampton Township Police Department said.
The investigation began after Upper Southampton Township police, the Bucks County District Attorney's Office, and Homeland Security agents received a CyberTip submitted to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children on Thursday, Oct. 10, according to police.
The CyberTip indicated that an Upper Southampton IP address had shared files containing child sexual abuse material over the internet, police said. That led to a search warrant of Heaton's residence on Shallcross Avenue.
Investigators seized numerous pieces of computer and telecommunications equipment related to the crime, according to police.
Heaton was arrested and charged with Felony:
- Disseminating Photography or Film of Child Sex Acts.
- Child Pornography.
- Criminal Use of Communication Facility.
He was initially held in the Bucks County Correctional Facility on $100,000, court documents state. However, he made bail and was released, police said.
Heaton's preliminary hearing is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 7, according to court documents.
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