Child porn tip leads to gun, drug charges
SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Two Scranton men have been charged by the Lackawanna County District Attorney's Office for alleged possession of child pornography, guns, and drugs.
According to the Lackawanna County District Attorney Brian Gallagher, their office received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that someone in the 800 block of Columbia Street in Scranton's Green Ridge section was uploading suspected child pornography to Snapchat.
Gallagher says that on February 6th, the Northeast Pennsylvania Computer Crimes Task Force, along with the Lackawanna County Detectives and Scranton Police executed a search warrant at the home.
Upon a search of the house, police found three handguns, including a ghost gun, multiple boxes of ammunition, heroin, cocaine, fentanyl, and electronic devices used to possess and download child pornography, according to the release.
Police arrested Lawrence Ortiz Sr., 42, and Lawrence Ortiz Jr., 19, who both lived in the home.
Lackawanna County District Attorney Brian Gallagher said the following about the arrest:
'This case exemplifies law enforcement's commitment to collaborate and aggressively investigate and prosecute individuals who exploit children, traffic deadly narcotics, and possess illegal firearms,' said District Attorney Gallagher. 'We remain steadfast in our mission to make the streets of Lackawanna County safer.'
Ortiz Sr. is facing gun and drug charges while Ortiz Jr. faces child pornography and other related charges.
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