Carlisle, Pa. - Cumberland County District Attorney Dave Freed announced charges Friday against 15 county residents in connection with a year-long child pornography investigation.

Those charged include students, a truck driver, a banker, an exotic dancer and a college professor. The cases are not connected. Criminal charges will be filed in juvenile court against three 15-year-old boys for similar offenses, Freed said.

Dickinson College political science professor John Ransom faces charges he had two images depicting child pornography on a computer storage device at his home. Ransom, 55, was placed on paid leave following the accusations.

"He's very upset," Ransom's attorney, Jay Abom said. "By virtue of the accusations most people presume that you're guilty."

Abom said his client is innocent and will fight the charges in court.

Students reacted with a mixture of shock and skepticism. "He's innocent until proven guilty," said freshman Chaney Burlin.  "I'm still surprised but I'm going to hold judgment until we find out the facts."

Freed said the arrests should send a clear message. "To those who would support the exploitation of children by consuming these vile images, we cannot make a clearer announcement that we have the means to come after you, and we will," Freed said.

Freed said undercover detectives went online looking for computers that were willing to share suspicious files.  If they discovered such files, detectives obtained a warrant to seize the computer, he said.

Freed said it's unclear if additional files found during the investigations actually depict child porn, although detectives certainly suspect they do.  He said his office is sending the images to experts for analysis.  He said more charges could be filed against some of the defendants in the future.

Freed said he does not suspect any local children were harmed. "I'm a father of three ... it makes me sick," Freed said. "To those of you who would say, 'Well these people are just looking at photos, they're not hurting anybody,' yes, they are. Anybody who consumes this participates fully in the exploitation of these kids and they will be prosecuted."

All of the defendants were arraigned and placed in the Cumberland County Prison on $50,000 bail.  They were ordered to surrender their passports and told not to have unsupervised contact with any children.

One defendant, Brian Jamison, 37, of Carlisle, has not been arrested.  Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call police.

The other men arrested include the following:

- Jordon Michaels, 20, Carlisle, 5 counts of child pornography;
- Michael Mueller, 38, Mechanicsburg, 5 counts of child pornography; 
- Shane Burkett, 25, Mechanicsburg, 5 counts of child pornography and a charge related to the possession of steroids;
- Thomas Hassett Jr., 32, Mechanicsburg, 8 counts of child pornography;
- Randolph Irvin, 38, Carlisle, 21 counts;
- Woodrow Klinger, 36, Mechanicsburg, 7 counts of child pornography;
- Kyle Paxton, 20, Carlisle, 46 counts of possession of child pornography;
- Joseph Agnew, 25, Mechanicsburg, 16 counts;
- Ralph Herrold, 54, Mechanicsburg, 57 counts;
- Phares Barnhill III, 35, Carlisle, 5 counts of child pornography;
- John Williamson II, 21, Carlisle, 25 charges;
- Matthew Musselman, 21, Mechanicsburg, 93 counts;
- Michael Bechtel, 26, Mechanicsburg, 31 counts.

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