Ex Villanova Campus Minister Pleads Guilty To Child Porn Charge

VILLANOVA, PA — A former Associate Director of Campus Ministry at Villanova University has pleaded guilty to receiving images depicting the sexual abuse and exploitation of prepubescent children, according to federal authorities.

U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain Timothy O’Connell, 52, of Drexel Hill, pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography.

On February 10, 2018, O’Connell got images depicting the showing abuse and exploitation of prepubescent children.

The victims depicted in the child pornography included a 2-year-old child identified by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in another child abuse investigation, authorities said.

At that time, O’Connell was working as Associate Director of Campus Ministry at Villanova University.

On Jan. 3, 2019 the defendant was indicted for receipt of child pornography, officials said.

O'Connell was taken into custody in July 2018 following an investigation into child pornography being discussed by a man named Justyn Perez-Colon, according to a criminal complaint filed against O'Connell.

Through the investigation in to Perez-Colon, authorities learned of a person with which Perez-Colon was communicating and sharing child pornography.

Investigators tracked that person's IP address to a Drexel Hill residence, and also learned that the email used by that person was logged into a computer at Villanova University, according to the criminal complaint.

Through that, authorities discovered that it was O'Connell who Perez-Colon was communicating and sharing the child pornography with, the criminal complaint says.

Then on July 10 FBI agents interviewed O'Connell and searched his home, Villanova office, and two vehicles.

During that interview, O'Connell told agents that he in fact was communicating with Perez-Colon and sharing child pornography, the complaint states.

O'Connell told investigators he bought prepaid phones to hide his conduct from his family.