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Alleged Greene County sex predator reportedly targeted teens online

By Susy Kelly, For The Greene County Messenger 2 min read

Following a joint effort by the state Attorney General’s office and police in Greene County, a Dilliner man has been arrested for sexually assaulting a teen who he reportedly met online.

Joshua W. Porterfield, 24, 558 State Route 2011 was arrested Sunday and charged with three counts each of involuntary deviate intercourse, unlawful sexual contact with a minor, statutory sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault, indecent assault and corruption of minors, and two counts each of criminal use of a communications facility and unlawful contact with a minor through obscene materials.

According to a press release from the attorney general’s office, the criminal complaint states the investigation began when administrators at a Greene County high school alerted Cumberland Township police about Porterfield contacting a student through Facebook, and allegedly sending the minor a nude image of himself via Snapchat. Police requested the assistance of the Child Predator Section, which opened an investigation.

The child saved the Snapchat image and showed CPS agents, who identified potential victims through an analysis of mutual Facebook connections with Porterfield.

Agents obtained a search warrant for Porterfield’s Facebook account and located more than 1,000 deleted, private messages between Porterfield and a second minor. It was determined that Porterfield and the second minor began talking in August 2014.

The second victim alleged Porterfield picked her up in September 2014, knowing that she was 15 years old, and drove her to another location where the two engaged in oral sex and intercourse in Porterfield’s vehicle.

The child reported three similar occasions in the weeks that followed, including one encounter where Porterfield took her to his Dilliner home.

Porterfield was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Lee Watson. He is being held at Greene County Jail in lieu of $100,000 bond. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on Thursday.

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