PITTSBURGH, PA – A dark secret festered within the Catholic Church in Pennsylvania. David Dzermejko, 65, of Braddock, Pa., pleaded guilty in federal court today to possessing material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, exposing a decade-long pattern of depravity. The admission comes after a raid on his former Pittsburgh residence uncovered a digital trove of horrific images.
According to United States Attorney David J. Hickton, the investigation began with a tip from Microsoft Corp. Their data revealed that a “Skydrive” account – linked to the email address dawizard2@hotmail.com and the flamboyant screen name “Lord Winchester Cuthbert Thurston VII” – had uploaded a sexually explicit image of a prepubescent minor. The digital trail led directly to Dzermejko, a man sworn to protect the innocent.
The search warrant executed on Dzermejko’s property yielded more than just the single flagged image. Authorities discovered child pornography stored on multiple computers and related equipment. But the digital evidence only scratched the surface of his crimes. Dzermejko confessed to investigators that he’d been consuming this vile content for over 10 years, sourcing it from various websites across the internet.
The depravity didn’t stop at online consumption. Dzermejko admitted to numerous trips to Thailand, where he engaged in sexual encounters with teenage boys. He further confessed to maintaining online relationships with some of these victims even after returning to the United States, continuing a cycle of exploitation and abuse. The details are sickening, a betrayal of trust and a violation of the most vulnerable.
United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer has scheduled sentencing for March 20, 2014, at 11:30 p.m. Dzermejko faces a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. The actual sentence will be determined based on the severity of the offense and any prior criminal history. He remains on bond pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch is leading the prosecution. The investigation was a collaborative effort between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Crimes Against Children Task Force. This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative dedicated to combating child sexual exploitation. Resources are available at www.justice.gov/psc. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on the sentencing.
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Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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