Fayette County man arraigned on child porn charges

A Fayette County man was arraigned on Thursday on multiple felony counts of possessing child pornography.

Arresting officer Masontown Police Chief Thomas O'Barto says the FBI started tracking 41-year-old Jerry Bell's online activities in 2022 while Bell was living at a home on High Avenue. Though Bell moved to unincorporated Republic some time ago, O'Barto says his office and the FBI worked together to bring Bell in.

"The fact that this guy operated in Masontown, in a really good neighborhood, is basically an indicator that whatever neighborhood you live in, you could have a monster staying there," Chief O'Barto said. "I can sleep a little more peacefully tonight. I hope the neighbors and the people up there that are now finding out about this will sleep more peacefully. Crime is everywhere." 

Fayette County District Attorney Michael Aubele says his office is going to prosecute Bell to the fullest extent of the law.

"It is very troubling," Aubele said. "There are hundreds of images that we found that are potentially child pornography. The charges that we filed, the five individual charges that we filed, contain the images that we know from the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children to be images of child pornography, specific and known individuals. Again, it is very disturbing to know we have somebody in the community has access to these awful, awful images."

Bell is currently being held without bond in the Fayette County Prison. He is due back in court on April 15.