Church Youth Volunteer Charged with Possession of Child Porn in Monroeville

WTAE
October 16, 2014

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A youth group church volunteer has resigned and been arrested after the district attorney's office charged him with possessing hundreds of images and videos of child pornography, some featuring adults performing sex acts with infants.

Andrew Patterson, 45, of Monroeville, kept his head down and did not comment as police took him to the Allegheny County Jail after his arraignment Thursday. He faces a preliminary hearing Oct. 28.

VIDEO: Watch Courtney Fischer's report

The Allegheny County District Attorney's Office says child pornography being shared on the Internet was traced to Patterson's computer address.

"Why? What made you do it?" Patterson's teenage daughter said Friday. "I love you, but it's disgusting."

"It's hard, but I'm just trying to take one day at a time," Patterson's wife said.

Online court records don't list a defense attorney for Patterson.

Sylvia Tyron, the pastor at Living Waters Family Worship Center in Irwin, said Patterson resigned his volunteer position Thursday morning.

Prosecutors were asking any parents with concerns about Patterson's behavior to call the DA's office at 412-388-5300 since he had contact with children 12 and older at the non-denominational church.

Church leaders said Patterson had been a volunteer since June and was never left alone with kids.