Pennsylvania Man Arrested for Preying on Child from Clifton Park

PA Man Arrested for Endangering Child in Clifton Park

Some good police work by the New York State Police in Clifton Park ended in the arrest of David R. Spry, 38, a Pennsylvania man accused of sending sexually explicit material to a minor in Clifton Park.

According to the NYSP, Spry was arrested for "Disseminating Indecent Material to a Minor" and "Endangering the Welfare of a Child."

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"Disseminating Indecent Material to a Minor" typically involves providing or sharing sexually explicit or inappropriate content with someone who is legally underage. This is usually done with the intent to arouse or take advantage of the minor sexually, and is treated as a serious criminal offense because of the risks it poses to the minor’s safety and well-being.

How Did He Target the Child?

According to the NYSP, back on June 20th, Troopers "received information that an individual was sending inappropriate sexual material to a child under the age of 17."

The investigation determined Spry, from Salylorburg, PA,  allegedly "sent the child sexually explicit material via social media while the child was in Clifton Park, NY."

"It’s never too early to start talking to children and teens about the risks they face online and continue talking about them at every age. Like teaching a child how to safely cross the street, continuous discussions and reminders are key to safe online habits."  Department of Homeland Security 

What Are Some Common Ways Children are Targeted?

According to the Department of Homeland Security, there are a multitude of ways that predators stalk their victims.

• Social Media: Platforms like Snapchat are utilized to identify potential targets, gather personal information, and initiate contact.
• Online Games: Games with communication features, particularly those popular among young people like Fortnite, Overwatch 2, Minecraft, and Roblox, are often exploited by predators to engage and establish rapport with victims.
• Chat Rooms and Messaging Apps: Instant messaging and chat rooms are widely used for developing relationships with victims and introducing inappropriate content.
• To report an incident, you can call the Know2Protect Tipline at 1-833-591-KNOW (5669) or visit the NCMEC CyberTipline at https://report.cybertip.org.