Last September, state agents arrested a Lancaster Township man for allegedly soliciting sex from a young Ephrata girl he'd met on the Internet.
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Luckily, agents for the state attorney general said at the time, the girl told authorities before meeting 36-year-old Timothy Donnell Anderson in person.
But when agents confiscated and reviewed Anderson's computers, they discovered it wasn't Anderson's first attempt at meeting a young girl.
Another Lancaster County girl, agents for Attorney General Tom Corbett's Child Predator Unit learned, had also met Anderson through the Internet.
And that girl, a 15-year-old from Stevens, agents said, allegedly had a sexual relationship with Anderson last summer.
On Friday, Anderson, 36, of 141 Conestoga Blvd., was again arrested by agents from the Child Predator Unit.
Anderson, a self-employed computer salesman, was charged with involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, aggravated indecent assault and sexual abuse of children (related to child pornography).
In addition, Anderson was charged with unlawful use of a communications facility, two counts of statutory sexual assault and five counts of unlawful contact with a minor.
According to court documents, agents found discussions between Anderson and the girl about their alleged sexual encounters and a nude photograph of the girl on Anderson's cell phone.
Through computer forensics, along with the help of Ephrata police and school officials, agents were able to identify and talk to the teenager.
The teenager told investigators Anderson contacted her in July and August of 2009 after she posted personal information on her MySpace social networking site.
Anderson traveled to her home twice, performing various sex acts and taking the picture, she told police.
At the end of August, the girl told Anderson to stop contacting her, according to court documents.
In the earlier incident, which also happened last summer, a 14-year-old Ephrata girl told her parents that a Lancaster man had been sending her text messages on her cell phone after adding himself to the friends on her MySpace account.
The parents immediately contacted police, who turned the investigation over to the attorney general's office.
An agent from the Child Predator Unit, pretending she was the teenager, continued the computer conversations with Anderson as he suggested sexual acts and arranged a meeting.
When Anderson actually arrived to meet the girl on Sept. 11, agents were waiting to take him into custody.
Anderson, who was free on bail awaiting trial on the earlier charges of having unlawful contact with a 14-year-old girl and computer violations, was committed to county prison on Friday in lieu of $100,000 bail.
Corbett, in announcing the arrest, urged parents to discuss the importance of Internet safety with their children, especially if they're receiving electronic items for gifts.
"Predators know that young people will be exploring these new devices," Corbett said, "and they are searching for potential victims."
Over the past year, Corbett said the Attorney General's Child Predator Unit has arrested 69 men, all accused of sexually propositioning children online or sending nude or pornographic photos or videos.
Since 2005, undercover agents have arrested 245 suspected predators, all trying to use the Internet to have some form of sexual contact with children.
"Predators are using popular Web sites to search for young victims, including Internet chat rooms and discussion sites," Corbett said.
"They also use social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook, looking for kids who are vulnerable or lonely, gathering details about their activities and interests and using that information to gain the trust of children."
Corbett suggested parents review Internet safety tips with their children, especially telling them not to share personal information such as addresses and phone numbers.
Children should also be encouraged to report any inappropriate contact involving strangers, Corbett said, including sexually suggestive comments, attempts to arrange face-to-face meetings, threats or abusive behavior.
For more information about reporting Internet predators and education programs, go to
www.attorneygeneral.gov or call 1-800-385-1044.
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