HARRISBURG — A Pennsylvania state lawmaker is facing child pornography possession charges after authorities say a social media website told them the user had uploaded an image using its service.
Sen. Michael Folmer, R-Lebanon, was charged after an investigation prompted by Tumblr, an electronic service provider, reported one of its users had uploaded a child porn image, the attorney general’s office said.
The investigation led to Folmer’s home. The attorney general’s office’s Child Predator Section, Lebanon city police and U.S. Department of Homeland Security executed a search warrant at Folmer’s home, and reportedly found child porn images on his phone.
“This defendant serves as a state Senator and was entrusted to honor and represent his community in the Pennsylvania Capitol,” Attorney General Josh Shapiro said in a news release. “Tonight, our Office arrested Mr. Folmer for possession of child pornography and charged him with Sexual Abuse of Children, Possession of Child Pornography, and Criminal Use of a Communication Facility. I will continue to say it — no one is above the law, no matter what position of power they hold. I will continue to work to protect children and hold those who abuse them accountable.”
Folmer is charged with sexually abusing children, child porn possession and criminally using a communication facility.
A message left at Folmer’s listed home telephone number wasn’t immediately returned, and neither were messages for his lawyer.
The 63-year-old Republican was elected to a fourth term in November. Long considered one of the chamber’s most conservative members, Folmer was crucial to helping swing Republican votes behind a bill to legalize medical marijuana in 2016.
