Harrison man accused by state agents of distributing child porn on Snapchat faces 21 felony counts

A Harrison man faces nearly two dozen felony child pornography charges after, investigators said, numerous photographs and videos were found in his possession showing children as young as 7 engaged in sexual activity.

Matthew J. Morrow, 25, of the 1000 block of Carlisle Street was charged by an agent with the state Attorney General’s Office with 20 counts of sexual abuse of children and a count of criminal use of a communications facility.

A portion of Carlisle Street was closed Thursday when agents and Harrison police took Morrow into custody at his home. A forensic team also was dispatched to the home to analyze the contents of his two cellphones, according to authorities.

Morrow was being detained in the Allegheny County Jail in lieu of a $25,000 cash bond. A preliminary hearing on the charges is scheduled before District Judge Carolyn Bengel on Feb. 8, according to court records.

The senior special agent for the child predator section of the the Attorney General’s Western Pennsylvania office wrote in Morrow’s arrest papers that the agency was notified by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that suspected child pornography was uploaded and distributed on Aug. 31, 2021, using the Snapchat social media app.

Investigators determined that the account that was used belonged to Morrow.

Agents got a second tip that the same Snapchat account was used to upload another child porn video March 31, 2022, according to a criminal complaint.

Investigators said they were able to track Morrow to his home in Harrison after getting a search warrant compelling Comcast to release the details, the complaint said.

Agents said Morrow was home when they went to his house Thursday, Jan. 26 to execute a search warrant, according to the complaint.

Investigators said he agreed to speak with them and told agents that he has been viewing child pornography since he was 18 and knew that it was illegal, but could not control his actions.

Morrow told police that most of the pornography he has collected was on a second cellphone, the complaint said.

A forensics examiner who responded to the scene examined Morrow’s second phone and found 30 images and video of child pornography, according to investigators.

Morrow told agents he was relieved that he was caught so he could get the help and therapy he needs, the complaint said.