Convicted sex offender charged with 1,000 counts of possession of child pornography
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — A man from Erie already facing charges for trying to meet up with a 13-year-old girl from Connellsville for sex faces more charges.
Investigators said Jason Meals faces more felony counts after they said pornographic images were discovered on his cell phone.
Meals was first arrested in December 2021 for allegedly trying to remove the child, who he met on Snapchat, from Connellsville Middle School while claiming to be her relative, officials said. Police said Meals drove three hours from Erie to Connellsville to pick up the girl.
According to the Pennsylvania Megan's Law website, Meals is a registered sex offender. It shows Meals was convicted of two indecent assault incidents involving minors in 2010.
Meals had his phone taken as evidence at the time of his arrest in December 2021. Nearly nine months later, a forensic investigation by law enforcement discovered a large amount of alleged child pornography on the device.
"We learned there was, give or take, thousands of child pornography on the phone," Cpl. Bryan Kendi with the Connellsville Police Department said. "It was very graphic."
Meals, 32, remains in the Fayette County Jail held without bond based on his prior charges. He now faces more than 1,000 counts of possession of child pornography.
