Radnor Commissioner Mentored Kids Before Child Porn Charges

RADNOR, PA – Radnor Township Commissioner Phil Ahr mentored young children through a program offered by his employer in the past, Patch has learned, on the heels of him being hit with numerous counts of child porn related-charges.

Ahr, who works for Malvern-based Progressive Business Publications (PBP), had been a mentor in the business' Cook-Wissahickon School program, which pairs at-risk students in Philadelphia with employee-mentors, until May 2017.

Kids in the program visit the Malvern office a few times a month, and employees visit the kids at their school, and even have a few field trips.

A spokesperson for PBP said Ahr, 66, of Radnor, is "no longer a mentor as of the current academic year and has had no interaction with children there since May."

"All mentors are required to undergo a state police clearance, per the company’s own policy, and school personnel are always present during mentor activities," the spokesperson said.

Ahr was charged Tuesday, Oct. 11 with 10 counts of disseminating child pornography, 50 counts of child pornography possession, 60 counts of criminal use of a communication facility, and 10 counts of attempted dissemination of child pornography, court records show. All of these charges are felonies.

Ahr allegedly used Yahoo messenger to exchange pornographic materials featuring children, had spreadsheets organizing pornographic website showing children in sex acts, and had images depicting children engaging in sex acts with adults and even animals, according to the Delaware County District Attorney's office.

Additionally, Ahr remains employed at PBP, though has been placed on administrative leave, according to the spokesperson.

However, Patch obtained a company memo issued by PBP CEO Ed Satell that indicates Ahr was not immediately placed on leave. Satell wrote on Wednesday evening that the company did not "expect [the child porn charges] to affect [Ahr's] employment status."

"Despite the seriousness of the charges, there is nothing to indicate that it would be inappropriate to permit him to continue to perform his job duties here, or that he is unable to competently do so consistent with high standards of conduct, as he has done for more than 40 years," the memo reads.

But when Patch reached out to PBP for comment on Ahr's employment, the spokesperson said he was on administrative leave.

"While the present allegations have nothing to do with his work at the company and the company had no knowledge of his activities during his personal time, on the same day the company became aware of the charges filed against the employee in question, he was placed on administrative leave for the duration of the investigation," the spokesperson told Patch late Thursday afternoon. "The company is cooperating with investigators."

The DA's office said Ahr stated, "obviously I knew the images were illegal and don't know how I could say otherwise."

In Ahr's home, Investigators found video and numerous graphic images depicting children engaged in sex acts, as well as numerous chat logs between in which Ahr shared and sought graphic images and videos of children in sexual positions, bondage and engaged in sex acts with adults, the DA's office said. A portion of the images and videos depicted sado-masochistic sexual abuse, and children being sexually abused by animals, according to authorities.

PBP was fined $1.75 million in 2016 for not docking pay from employees who took breaks and were not making sales calls. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) has been warning businesses around the region and the nation about PBP’s “deceptive” business practices for years.

Ahr was released from custody on Oct. 11 after posting 10 percent of $100,000. He will appear for his preliminary hearing on Oct. 26.

Patch has reached out to the Philadelphia School District for more information on the program at Cook-Wissahickon School and will update the story when more details are made available.

Image via Delaware County District Attorney's Office