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Douglas Penglase, 37, of Hatboro, was charged with distribution and attempted distribution of child pornography, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Federal Investigation Uncovers Hundreds of Exploitative Files
The investigation began in May 2024, when Kik reported child sexual abuse material (CSAM) to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), court documents state. Federal agents later discovered nearly 300 explicit files in the suspect’s Kik account, including graphic videos of prepubescent girls as young as 8 years old being sexually abused by adults, authorities said.
Investigators say Penglase engaged in over 1,100 messages with other predators discussing and trading CSAM and distributed at least nine videos. A separate search warrant uncovered an additional 780 CSAM files in his Kik account.
School District Fires Penglase, Alerts Families
Officials in the Upper Moreland School District were first alerted to Penglase’s arrest by Upper Moreland Township Police, according to a statement from Superintendent Dr. Sue Elliott. The district emphasized it had no prior knowledge of his alleged behavior before the arrest.
Penglase, who had worked as a co-curricular employee since September 2020, was immediately fired following the charges. School officials said he had no prior record that would have prevented his hiring, and there were no known complaints or concerns from students or staff about his conduct.
While cooperating fully with law enforcement, the district said it had not found evidence of inappropriate interactions between Penglase and students or improper use of school network resources. Families involved in the affected activities will be notified of plans for his replacement.
Counselors have been made available at Upper Moreland High School for students and staff in response to the arrest.
Penglase Faces Decades in Federal Prison
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Carissimi under Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide crackdown on online child predators.
Penglase appeared before Judge Lynne A. Sitarski on Wednesday, March 12. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
Anyone with information related to the allegations against Penglase is urged to contact the HSI Philadelphia victim services tipline at 215-606-5549.
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