South Jersey Man Tried To Meet Kids For Sex In Pennsylvania: DA

NORRISTOWN, PA — A South Jersey man is among three people who have been arrested after engaging in lurid online discussions with an undercover cop who they believed was a child. All three suspects ultimately planned to meet the child for sex in Montgomery County, the District Attorney's Office announced on Tuesday.

Joseph Picchi, 49 of Hammonton, was among three men who made separate overtures to the "child," who was really a cop posing as a 14-year-old girl. The other two were 28-year-old Donovan Early, of Philadelphia, and 30-year-old Jonathan Uitto, of Consohocken, according to the District Attorney's Office.

The suspects all shared sexually explicit photos with the "girl," cops said, and discussed in detail their sexual plans. During the conversations, both over text and email, the undercover cop repeatedly told each man that "she" was only 14, according to the criminal complaints.

Picchi agreed to meet the underaged girl on Jan. 25 in Conshohocken. Police met him at the agreed-upon place and arrested him on charges of statutory sexual assault, kidnapping, and related counts. Picchi failed to post $75,000 bail and was taken to Montgomery County Correctional Facility, with a preliminary hearing set for Feb. 28.

Picchi's arrest came eight days after Early was arrested at the same spot. He was arrested and charged with statutory sexual assault, attempted involuntary deviant sexual intercourse, and related counts on Jan. 17. Early did not make $150,00 bail and was also remanded to Montgomery County Correctional Facility. He then waived his preliminary hearing.

Uitto did not come to meet the "girl" but was arrested on Feb. 14, police said. He faces charges of communications with a minor with obscene material, corruption of minors, and discussing explicit sexual material with a minor. Uitto posted $100,000 bail and was released. He's slated to return for his hearing on March 1.

The undercover efforts were spearheaded by a partnership between the Montgomery County Detective Bureau's Major Crimes Unit and the Pennsylvania Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

Story by Justin Heinze, Patch Staff

The attached image of Joseph Picchi was provided by the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office.