Harrisburg, Pa. - A legislative staff member, using the screen name "alan_panda_bear", is accused of using animal costumes to proposition a teenage boy. He's now behind bars in Dauphin County on $250,000 bail.

Since April, investigators said the suspect had been chatting online with a 15-year-old boy from the Harrisburg area, and discussed dressing up in animal costumes and engaging in sex acts. The teen's parents found the sexually graphic messages on their son's computer and called the Child Predator Unit.

40-year-old Alan Berlin was arrested Thursday. investigators said he wanted to go to the teen's home and have sex with him in the back yard, while his parents were asleep inside.

"Berlin is also accused of attempting to arrange a meeting between the boy and another adult, offering to get them a hotel room if Berlin could take photos of them having sex," said Attorney General Tom Corbett.

"I told my wife, that's sick," said Berlin's neighbor, Charlie Day

Berlin's North Middleton Township neighbors were caught by surprise, especially when they heard about evidence that was taken from his apartment, particularly the animal costumes.

"I was shocked that something like this would happen in our neighborhood especially with all the kids," said Jennifer Heckendorn. "We have a bus stop right down the road."

Investigators believe Berlin was chatting with the teen while at home and at the office, which is the State Capitol. Berlin worked for Senator Jane Orie as a legislative assistant. He's been fired. Senator Orie, from the Pittsburgh area, prosecuted child sex crime cases for a decade and sponsored several measures that strengthened Megan's Law.

"I was shocked and appalled," said Senator Jane Orie (R), Allegheny County. "I fully and staunchly support the actions of the Attorney General's office in investigating and prosecuting all child abuse and sexual assault cases

"I'm glad they got him because you never know about the other kids in the neighborhood here," Day said.

Heckendorn said she'll continue keeping an eye on her kids online activity.

"We have all kinds of software that let me go in and see what the kids have been looking at, what they've been online looking at."

Attorney General Corbett said Internet predators know more young people are on the Internet during the summer months. He reminds parents to talk to their kids about online dangers and stress that predators use whatever they can to attract children's attention. 

Berlin is charged with one count of unlawful contact with a minor, criminal attempted sexual exploitation of children, and criminal solicitation to commit sexual abuse of children.  Each is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. 

 

 

 Email To Friend