Hempfield Township man charged after police find over 1,000 child porn images

HEMPFIELD TOWNSHIP, Pa. (KDKA) - A Hempfield Township man brought to law enforcement's attention by a vigilante group is facing more charges after police said they executed a search warrant at his home and found over 1,000 images of child pornography.

The Westmoreland County District Attorney's Office said 60-year-old Thomas Hibbard was first charged in February with unlawful contact with a minor after a vigilante group called "The Predator Poachers" set up a fake Instagram account for a 9-year-old girl and started messaging with Hibbard before confronting him at his home.

Thomas Hibbard of Hempfield Township is facing charges after police said they executed a search warrant at his home and found over 1,000 images of child pornography. (Photo: Westmoreland County District Attorney's Office/Facebook)

When troopers interviewed Hibbard, the district attorney's office said he admitted to sending a graphic picture to the account.

The district attorney's office said troopers later executed a search warrant at Hibbard's home on Wendel Road and seized computers, multiple phones, a tablet and suspected meth.

A search of the devices revealed over 1,000 photos and over 100 videos of child porn, the district attorney's office said. Police said the victims depicted were as young as infants and toddlers and as old as young teenagers.

Hibbard is in jail and was denied bond.