Former Penn State Abington Professor Arrested On Child Porn Charges
By Steve Beck
UPPER DUBLIN TOWNSHIP, Pa. (CBS) -- A retired professor from Penn State Abington is facing several charges after investigators say he exchanged nude photos with an underage girl from Spain.
Stephen Stace, of Upper Dublin Township, has been charged with Possession of Child Pornography, Unlawful Contact with a Minor, Dissemination of Obscene Materials to a Minor, Corruption of Minors and Criminal Use of a Communication Facility.
According to investigators, Stace admitted to trading nude images of himself via e-mail with a 16-year-old girl from Spain.
"You have someone who is directly victimizing a human being, child and damaging her," Risa Vetri Ferman, Montgomery County District Attorney said.
Investigators examined Stace's home computer and located numerous images of the female in various stages of nudity. The computer also contained additional child pornography depicting other minors, as well as several nude images of Stace.
Stace recently retired as a professor at Penn State's Abington campus. Investigators say Stace told them that he communicated with the female from his office while using his Penn State e-mail address.
Investigators say Stace took nude photos of himself inside his office at Penn State Abington prior to sending them to the minor female.
"I just find it really disgusting because I have a 13-year-old sister. If I found out a professor or somebody who is older and that should know better was talking to her, that is just, I don't even want to think about it," a student said.
"That is really terrible. I had no idea," another student said.
On September 19th, investigators executed a search warrant on Stace's Penn State e-mail account and discovered a series of e-mails exchanged between Stace and the female.
Investigators say all of the e-mails were sexual in nature and contained sexually graphic information, including Stace repeatedly expressing his desire to meet the female to engage in sexual activity. Investigators also discovered that Stace sent at least three nude images of himself to the minor female, while repeatedly asking her to send him nude images of herself. Investigators say that the female sent Stace several images of herself in various stages of nudity.
Investigators emphasize that Penn State officials cooperated fully, even helping retrieve e-mails that Stace allegedly tried to delete as investigators moved in.
"We could not have asked for more from them in helping to uncover what was actually going on here," Jordan Friter, Assistant District Attorney said.
In a three sentence statement, Penn State officials say only that they cooperated fully, saying that they can't say anything else because of the ongoing investigation.
No comment from Stace's attorney.
Stace was arraigned on Thursday and bail was set at $75,000. He has a preliminary scheduled for October 21st.
