The Berks County District Attorney’s Office has charged 46-year-old Dennis D. Deiter Jr. and 34-year-old Elizabeth Deiter of Reading, PA with possession of child pornography and related offenses, officials announced this week.
The Berks County Detectives Office initiated the criminal investigation after receiving a complaint from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (N.C.M.E.C.), involving digital files of suspected Child Pornography that were being uploaded to a KIK Messenger account.
As part of the investigation, an administrative subpoena was served upon the internet service provider (ISP) linked to the upload of these digital images. This led detectives to a Comcast Cable Communications account assigned to Elizabeth Deiter of South 12th Street in Reading City, Berks County.
Detectives learned that Dennis Deiter also resided at the South 12th Street residence. Dennis Deiter is the husband of Elizabeth Deiter and is known to the Berks County Detectives. In 2017, Dennis Deiter was charged by the Berks County Detectives with Possession of Child Pornography and later pled guilty to this charge. He was sentenced in March of 2019 by a judge in the Berks County Court of Common Pleas to 6-23 months in the Berks Jail System. He is a Pennsylvania Megan’s Law registered sex offender since March of 2021.
Berks County Detectives executed a search warrant at the South 12th Street residence. Cellular telephones and computer hard drives belonging to both Dennis and Elizabeth Deiter were seized during this search.
Following the service of this search warrant, both Dennis and Elizabeth Deiter were interviewed by members of the Berks County Detectives. Officials say both individuals admitted to utilizing their respective cellular telephones to view child pornography.
As a result of a forensic analysis conducted on the cellular telephones seized from the defendants by the Berks County District Attorney’s Forensic Services Unit, numerous digital videos and images of child pornography were discovered on both cellular devices.
On Monday, July 22, 2024, Dennis Deiter was charged with Sexual Abuse of Children – Dissemination of Child Pornography, Sexual Abuse of Children – Possession of Child Pornography. On this same date, Elizabeth Deiter was charged with Sexual Abuse of Children – Possession of Child Pornography and Criminal Use of a Communication Facility. Arrest warrants for both individuals were issued by Magisterial District Judge Carissa L. Johnson.
On Wednesday, July 24, 2024, both Defendants were taken into custody at their residence by members the Berks County Detectives.
The Defendants were transported to the Berks County Sheriff’s Department Central Processing Center located at the Berks County Courthouse where they were fingerprinted and photographed. The Defendants are currently awaiting their Preliminary Arraignment.
A Criminal Complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
