WEST BEND — Steven Rowe, 33, of Bangor, Pa. was in Washington County Circuit Court, on Wednesday, for his initial appearance in an extradition case back to Pennsylvania, where he had previously been extradited from to face charges of child sexual exploitation in Washington County.
According to the criminal complaint, Rowe has now been charged with possession of “Child Sexual Abuse Material and Photograph/ Film/Depict on Computer Sex Act — Knowingly or Permitting Child” in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, and the Northampton County Sheriff’s Office has requested his extradition back to the state.
Rowe
Rowe faces 10 felony charges for child sexual exploitation material to employ, use or induce in Washington County Circuit Court for allegedly grooming an underage girl in Washington County over the Discord app.
According to the initial criminal complaint, Rowe would send “Robux” online tokens to the victim in exchange for nude photographs.
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Rowe allegedly told the victim, who was 16 at the time, that he was a 17-year-old. According to the complaint, Rowe also operated a second Discord account that he added to his chat with the victim to further groom the victim.
‘It is a common tactic for suspects to place a Victim in a group chat with another account also run by the suspect to attempt to groom minor victims into producing and sending CSAM (child sex abuse material),” said the complaint.
Rowe is alleged to have received 42 images containing CSAM.
In Washington County, the 10 felonies against Rowe carry a penalty of up to 400 years’ imprisonment, $1 million in fines or both, upon a conviction.
Rowe will next appear before Judge Ryan Hetzel in Washington County Circuit Court at 9:45 a.m. on Dec. 3 for a hearing that will cover both the Washington County case and the extradition request from Northampton County.