Radnor Township Delaware County District Attorney Ahr Situation

OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY
DELAWARE COUNTY COURTHOUSE

MEDIA, PENNSYLVANIA 19063

610-891-4161
JOHN J. WHELAN JOSEPH A. RYAN

DISTRICT ATTORNEY CHIEF OF DETECTIVES
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DATE: October 11, 2017
CONTACT PERSON: Emily H. Harris, 610.891.4943
Radnor man faces child pornography possession and distribution charges

Media, Pa Today District Attorney Jack Whelan announced Philip Ahr, 66, of Radnor Township was
arrested on numerous counts of child pornography possession and distribution charges for images that
depict children as infants engaged in sex acts with adults.
Philip Ahr, 66, of the 100 block of Meredith Avenue, in Radnor, is charged with child pornography
possession and child pornography dissemination, sexual abuse of children, and criminal use of
communication facility, all felonies of the third degree.
On August 31, information was received by the District Attorneys Criminal Investigation Division
(CID) from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in regards to an individual, later
identified as Philip Ahr, who uploaded and shared images of suspected child pornography through a
Yahoo Messenger account. That same day, an administrative subpoena was issued to Verizon requesting
the subscriber of the IP address.
On September 18, Verizon responded to the subpoena and identified the subscriber of IP address, at the
time the child pornography images were uploaded as Philip Ahr, of 181 Meredith Avenue in Radnor.
As a result of this information, the District Attorneys Delaware County Criminal Investigation (CID)
and PA Internet Crime Against Children (ICAC) Task Force launched an investigation, and obtained a
search warrant for the residence of Philip Ahr, at 181 Meredith Avenue, in Radnor Township.
On September 21, at approximately 6:15 am, the warrant was executed by CID Sergeant Kenneth Bellis
and Det. Edmond Pisani. Philip Ahr was home at the time of the execution of the warrant and agreed to
speak with detectives after he was informed of the nature of the investigation. Ahr stated that he owned
a laptop computer and desktop, and escorted detectives to a desk in the basement. Ahr told detectives he
owned both computers and admitted that had been "sexting" online with people and that the purpose of
the chats was sexual in nature.
According to Ahr, he used Yahoo Messenger to sext with unknown individuals, which involved
sexual talk about children. Ahr told detectives that during one of these conversations, an unknown
person sent him about one dozen child pornography images of girls who Ahr estimated to be
approximately 13 years-old.
Some of the images involved female children engaging in sex acts with adult males. Ahr admitted to
detectives that he sent and received images of child pornography to and from an individual he was
chatting with. Ahr stated, "obviously I knew the images were illegal and don't know how I could say
otherwise."
During the search, a desktop and laptop computer were confiscated. A forensic examination of the hard
drives was conducted by Detective Chris Tankelewicz, which recovered video and numerous graphic
images depicting children engaged in sex acts, including one image that depicted a female child
approximately 3-5 years old performing oral sex on an adult male. Detectives also located numerous
chat logs between Ahr and individuals, dating back to 2013, in which Ahr shared and sought graphic
images and videos of children in sexual positions, bondage and engaged in sex acts with adults.
Additionally, more than 1,000 web links to pornographic images, some including child pornography,
were located as a result of the forensic examination. Both the laptop and desktop computers had Excel
spreadsheets located on them which were altered so that upon initial examination they appeared to
contain innocuous data. Once the attempts to hide the data were reversed it was discovered that they
contained well over a thousand web site addresses. Hundreds of the web addresses were still active and
contained child pornography. Significantly, in addition to the web address, each spreadsheet contained a
column with a code that signified the content of the web address.
An analysis of all the web addresses that were able to be accessed identified over 500 images and videos
of child pornography, namely minor children being sexually abused by adult males and females through
oral, vaginal, and anal sex, digital penetration, and children posed in sexually explicit positions. Ahrs
collection was mainly comprised of prepubescent girls under the age of 10 years, but also included
infants and toddlers. A portion of the images and videos depicted sado masochistic sexual abuse, and
children being sexually abused by animals.
"Those who possess and share child pornography directly contribute to the appalling exploitation of
innocent children and our detectives with the ICAC Task Force are actively working to locate and arrest
these perpetrators," said District Attorney Jack Whelan. As an elected individual and Chairman of
Radnor Board of Commissioners, Mr. Ahr took an oath to serve and protect the residents, and for that
reason we hold him to a higher standard of conduct. I would like to commend Sgt. Kenneth Bellis, Det.
Edmond Pisani, Detective Chris Tankelewicz and the entire ICAC Task Force for their continued work
to find and apprehend these perpetrators.
###
As you all know earlier today, Philip Ahr, the President of The Radnor
Township Board of Commissioners was arrested and charged with numerous
counts of Child Pornography.
As the Township Manager I am shocked, saddened, sickened and angered

over the contents of the District Attorneys Press Release and Affidavit of
Probable Cause.
As the Township Manager, it is my responsibility to keep the residents of

Radnor Township safe, so I would like to personally thank District Attorney
Jack Whalen, Joe Ryan, Chief of County Detectives and the entire Delaware
County Criminal Investigation Division for their excellent and tireless
investigative efforts in this case.
I know that this came as a shock to the residents of Radnor as it did to me.
But I want to assure our residents that we were in constant contact with the
Criminal Investigation Division and at no time were any of our residents
especially our children, in any type of danger by Mr. Ahr.
Additionally, I authorized increased patrol in the area Mr. Ahrs residence up

to and including today as the Superintendent of Police was being apprised
and updated by the Chief of County Detectives. Although the information
contained in the original search warrant was sealed, which means we did
not have access to it, Chief Ryan did provide the Police Superintendent with
sufficient information that the public was not in danger. It appears at this
time that all of Mr. Ahrs illegal acts were done via the computer and over
the internet and not in the public domain.
I understand that due process must be given and everyone arrested is

innocent until proven guilty however, if these allegations are true I strongly
believe and hope that the fullest and maximum penalty is given to Mr. Ahr.
The acting President of the Board of Commissioners, Elaine Schaefer has

made a formal request of Commissioner Ahr to officially resign.
Robert A. Zienkowski
Township Manager, Radnor Township

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OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY

DELAWARE COUNTY COURTHOUSE

JOHN J. WHELAN JOSEPH A. RYAN

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Radnor man faces child pornography possession and distribution charges

As the Township Manager I am shocked, saddened, sickened and angered

As the Township Manager, it is my responsibility to keep the residents of

Additionally, I authorized increased patrol in the area Mr. Ahrs residence up

I understand that due process must be given and everyone arrested is

The acting President of the Board of Commissioners, Elaine Schaefer has

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