On April 4, 2024, Pasco L. Allen, Jr., age 75, of Berlin, Maryland, was convicted of distribution of child pornography and sentenced by the Honorable Brian D. Shockley to 5 years of incarceration with all but 1 year suspended. The Court placed Allen on 3 years of supervised probation upon his release and required him to register as a Tier II sex offender for a period of 25 years and to submit a DNA sample.
The charges stem from a cybertip sent by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) to the Maryland State Police last fall. The cybertip provided evidence of the possession of child pornography by a reported user, which investigators used to trace back to Allen’s residence. Maryland State Police investigators obtained a search warrant for Allen’s cell phone, which they seized in August of 2023. Digital Forensics Examiners with the Maryland State Police extracted the data from Allen’s phone, and were able to determine that in June of 2023, Allen had sent a saved image of child pornography to another individual using Facebook. Allen was subsequently charged with knowingly distributing child pornography and related offenses.
Worcester County State’s Attorney Kris Heiser thanked NCMEC, the Maryland State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Unit, and Sgt. Pruitt of the Maryland State Police for their unwavering efforts to hold online predators accountable. Heiser also thanked ASA Mary-Ann Burkhart who prosecuted the case.
