Sex offender facing child sex abuse offenses again

May 14—A Duryea man on parole for previous child sex abuse offenses was arrested on Friday after investigators discovered child sexual abuse material on his cell phone.

Joseph S. Dowd, 46, of Cremard Boulevard in Duryea, had the material on a phone that he had not reported to his parole officer, according to a criminal complaint filed against Dowd.

According to the complaint:

Investigators from the Luzerne County District Attorney's Office were alerted to a Cybertip received by a detective in Lackawanna County on May 9.

The tip contained an image depicting a minor female and a prepubescent female stored on a mobile phone, to which the detectives were able to access the phone records to identify the phone's owner.

The mobile number attached to the phone was subscribed to Dowd, who was previously known to detectives after they arrested him in 2016 on charges of possession and dissemination of child sexual abuse material.

The detectives learned that Dowd was out on parole, and living in Duryea. He is a lifetime registered sex offender under Megan's Law, and had a mobile phone number registered with the state police Megan's Law Unit that did not match the number that generated the CyberTip.

Dowd's parole officer confirmed that Dowd is on state parole, and that he lived with his parents in Duryea.

On Friday, investigators executed a search warrant on Dowd's home, where they encountered Dowd in the driveway.

Initially, he denied any knowledge of the phone number that generated the Cybertip, telling investigators that he only had the number registered with the state parole board.

While investigators were searching the home to try and find the mobile phone, Dowd told the authorities that he did have the second phone and handed it over to investigators.

According to the complaint, Dowd told police that he estimated there to be "20-25" images on the phone containing child sexual abuse material.

Investigators called the mobile number in question, and Dowd's phone received the call, according to investigators.

Dowd detailed the way in which he would obtain the images, and allegedly told investigators "I messed up, I can not get it out of my head and I need to admit myself to the hospital and get extensive treatment."

He was arraigned in front of Magisterial District Judge Donald L. Whittaker on Friday, and denied bail.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 23 in Luzerne County Central Court.

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