A Pennsburg man is accused of possessing child pornography. Late last month, the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office arrested and filed criminal charges against John Joseph Mulgrew, 24, of Bayberry Lane.

            Mulgrew faces 175 felony counts of possessing child pornography and one count of criminal use of a communications facility, according to information provided by law enforcement officials. The DA filed criminal charges Nov. 28 in the Red Hill court of District Judge Maureen Coggins. Walter R. Kerr, Jr. is listed as the arresting officer, according to information posted on a state judicial website.

            An investigation commenced May 29, when the Montgomery County Detective Bureau received a cybertip from Kik (a chat app), via the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, related to suspected child pornography uploaded to a Kik account between May 19 and May 23.

Detectives determined the 42 uploads were multiple uploads of the same 10 files of child pornography, involving pre-pubescent females, according to a Dec. 2 news release from the office of DA Kevin Steele.

            Detectives claim to have traced the IP address used to log into the Kik account to the defendant's residence and to Bergey's Truck Centers in Souderton, where the defendant was employed. They served a search warrant on Mulgrew's home Aug. 12, and seized several computers and the defendant's Apple iPhone.

            A forensic examination of the defendant's iPhone allegedly discovered 25 video files of pre-pubescent boys and girls engaged in sexual acts or in the simulation of sexual acts, as well as additional video files of adolescents in various sexual poses and activities, according to the news release.

            Lansdale District Judge Edward Levine set bail in the case at $200,000 unsecured during a Nov. 29 preliminary arraignment. A preliminary hearing in the case, before Coggins, has been scheduled for 10 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 12, according to the judicial website.