Child Porn Charges Filed After Digital Sting By Lower Merion Police

LOWER MERION TOWNSHIP, PA — Lower Merion Township Police conducted an undercover digital sting operation that led to child pornography-related charges being filed against a Montgomery County man.

Thomas Bowes, 39, of Lansdale, has been charged with felony crimes related to possessing and disseminating child pornography as well as unlawful contact with a minor, authorities said.

In October 2023, members of the Montgomery County Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Lower Merion Police Department began a proactive, online investigation into child exploitation on several social media platforms.

On Oct. 4, 2023, authorities said Bowes responded to a post on the app "Whisper" that showed a ninth-grade girl with type over her photo that read "Save me from school!!!"

A lengthy, sexually explicit text conversation via the app ensued between Bowes and who he thought was a 13-year-old girl, authorities said.

During the texting, authorities said Bowes sent several photos to the "girl," including one of a woman and a man who he claimed to be himself.

Detectives later traced the photo of the man and woman to a private Instagram account of the woman.

The owner of the account was known to Bowes from more than a decade ago, but she had not given him permission to use her photos, authorities said.

Detectives also traced the IP address related to the email account on the Whisper app to the Bowes' residence on Springhouse Court in Lansdale.

On Nov. 16, 2023, detectives served a search warrant on the home and seized Bowes' cellphone, which was subsequently forensically examined.

The cellphone was found to contain multiple videos and photos depicting juveniles in varying states of nudity and sexual acts, and were determined to be child pornography, authorities said.

Bowes was arrested on Jan. 15, and charged with possessing child pornography, distributing child pornography, unlawful contact with a minor, criminal use of a communication facility, identity theft, and other charges.

Bowes was remanded to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility after failing to post 10 percent of $20,000 bail.