A 56-year-old Harleysville man is facing 10 criminal counts, including felony involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, after investigators say a forensic search of his cellphone turned up photographs and videos that corroborated a juvenile's account of abuse. Michael Joseph Latsko, who lives on the 500 block of Devon Circle, is being held on $10,000 cash bail while the case moves toward a preliminary hearing.
According to North Penn Now, Lower Salford Township Police began investigating the allegations on March 13, 2025, after a juvenile disclosed alleged sexual abuse to a school counselor that same day. Police allege the offenses occurred between January 2024 and March 13, 2025, primarily at a residence in Lower Salford Township. Latsko was formally charged with involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a person younger than 16, indecent assault of a person younger than 13, endangering the welfare of children, and corruption of minors, among other counts, per the outlet's reporting.
The school counselor's role in setting the investigation in motion reflects a broader legal requirement in Pennsylvania: under Section 1205.6 of the state's Public School Code, enacted through Act 126, school counselors and other educational personnel with direct child contact are mandated reporters who must complete abuse-recognition training and immediately notify authorities of suspected abuse, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
Search Warrant Led to Seized Devices
Lower Salford police obtained a search warrant and executed it at Latsko's residence on May 6, 2025, seizing multiple electronic devices, the report states. The seized equipment included Latsko's cellphone, an iPad, laptop computers and other items capable of storing digital photographs, videos, messages and internet history, the same account notes.
Investigators reviewed communications recovered from the devices and say some messages contained requests for photographs of the juvenile, as well as discussions about receiving or retaining images of the juvenile. The report also states that investigators found internet activity indicating Latsko's interest in sexualized content involving teenagers, along with additional material and internet activity described as relevant to the allegations.
Police said a forensic examination of Latsko's cellphone uncovered photographs and videos, and that this material corroborated portions of the juvenile's account. The outlet reported that the juvenile also provided investigators with additional information about the alleged offenses. Specific details of the alleged assaults have been withheld to protect the juvenile's privacy, per the same account.
Forensic Interview Arranged to Limit Trauma
Lower Salford police arranged a forensic interview for the juvenile as part of the investigation, according to the report. In Montgomery County, disclosures involving juveniles are typically referred to the Mission Kids Child Advocacy Center, founded in 2006, where trained forensic interviewers conduct a single recorded interview observed remotely by law enforcement in order to minimize re-traumatizing victims. Mission Kids serves as the county's official child advocacy facility, uniting law enforcement and social services under one roof.
Charges and Possible Penalties
Latsko faces 10 criminal counts in total, per the criminal complaint cited by North Penn Now, including four misdemeanor counts of indecent assault of a person younger than 16 and two misdemeanor counts of corruption of minors, in addition to the felony involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and felony indecent assault of a person younger than 13 charges.
Under Title 18, Section 3123 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse is classified as a first-degree felony carrying a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a term that escalates to up to 40 years when the victim is under 13, according to Justia Law. Separately, indecent assault of a minor under 13 is generally graded as a first-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to five years, but can escalate to a third-degree felony carrying up to seven years if prosecutors establish it was part of a course of conduct, per Ciccarelli Law Offices.
Case Headed to Preliminary Hearing
Latsko has retained Philadelphia attorney Thomas C. Clemens and has a preliminary hearing scheduled for October 7, 2026, before Magisterial District Judge Adam T. Katzman, court documents show. That court, Magisterial District Court 38-1-24 at 840 Harleysville Pike in Harleysville, holds jurisdiction over summary and preliminary criminal matters from Lower Salford Township, Franconia Township, Schwenksville, Souderton, Telford, Perkiomen, Skippack and Worcester, according to the Special Court Judges Association of Pennsylvania.
The preliminary hearing will determine whether prosecutors have established a prima facie case; if so, the charges would be held for court and transferred to the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas for trial, per the same association's explanation of the process. A preliminary hearing is an initial evidentiary check rather than a determination of guilt or innocence, and Latsko, like all defendants, is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Department Behind the Investigation
The investigation was conducted by the Lower Salford Township Police Department, a state-accredited agency headquartered at 379 Main Street in Harleysville and led by Police Chief Thomas A. Medwid and Deputy Chief Cory Moyer, according to Lower Salford Township. The township, founded in 1741, maintains the accredited municipal force. Earlier this year, the department received a $26,000 Pennsylvania state law enforcement grant to acquire new body-worn camera equipment, per the Pennsylvania Senate Republican Caucus.
Hoodline has previously reported on other public safety matters in the area, including a Stratton Drive house fire and a multi-jurisdictional burglary case tied to Lower Salford Township investigators.
