On 11/14/2013, A jury convicted Scot. J. Annand of three counts of Sexual Abuse of Children (Possession of Child Pornography), all felonies of the third degree. History of the case is the following:
In July of 2012, Detective Keith Neff of the East Cocalico Township Police Department received information from a person who told Detective Neff that the Defendant had shown the person child pornography using computer devices, and that the computer devices were located where the Defendant was living, in Stevens, Pa. On July 23, 2012, Detective Neff obtained a search warrant, and the next day he directed a team of police officers who searched the residence where the Defendant was living and found the Defendant’s computer devices, including a laptop, a stand-alone hard drive, and a computer tower. County Detective John Duby helped with the search; Detective Duby then conducted a forensic examination of the computer devices and found multiple child pornography images on each of the three computer devices. Detective Neff filed three counts of Sexual Abuse of Children (Possession of Child Pornography).
A jury was selected on 11/12/2013 and testimony began on Wednesday, Nov. 13. The Commonwealth presented the testimony of the civilian who initially told Detective Neff about the child pornography. The Commonwealth also presented the testimony of Detective Neff and Detective Duby.
On 11/14/2013, at 11:02 a.m., the jury retired to deliberate. They returned with a verdict at approximately 1:35 p.m. and found the Defendant guilty on all counts. The Defendant had been incarcerated since his arrest in February 2013; bail was revoked upon conviction and he remains incarcerated. Judge Ashworth, who presided over the trial, ordered a PSI and an assessment by the SOAB. Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.