A Buckingham man was sentenced Wednesday to 5-10 years in state prison for sharing child pornography.
When Thomas Hendershot, 61, was charged in November 2018 with possession and dissemination of child pornography, he was already on probation for a previous child pornography conviction and required to register under Megan’s Law.
In September 2018, a New Britain Township Detective was scouring the internet for individuals sharing child pornography as part of the Pennsylvania Internet Crimes Against Children and FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking task forces. He identified a computer within Bucks County that was offering to share child pornography, and over the course of four days, received 36 files of child pornography.
A subpoena was served on the internet service provider, who provided an address in Buckingham Township. Multiple law enforcement agencies executed a search warrant on Nov. 15, 2018, during which time Hendershot was interviewed.
Police located an electronic storage device in Hendershot’s bedroom containing more than 50 pictures and videos of girls who appeared to be under the age of 10. Hendershot was transported to Bucks County Prison for a probation violation, and a few days later charged with possession of child pornography, dissemination of child pornography, and criminal use of a communication facility.
He was later arraigned by video in front of Magisterial District Judge Armitage, and remained in prison after failing to post 10% of $700,000.
He was sentenced to 5-10 years in state prison Wednesday by Judge Jeffrey Finley. The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Megan Hunsicker from the Bucks County District Attorney’s office.
In 2014, while Hendershot was living in Doylestown Township, members of the task forces arrested and charged him with the same violations. He pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography and criminal use of a communication facility, and in 2015 was sentenced to 14 years of probation. He was also required to register under Megan’s Law for a period of 15 years.
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