A 56-year-old Karns City man is facing 11 counts connected to child sexual abuse material after investigators say they traced illegal files to his personal Snapchat account. Steven Morgan posted $75,000 bail and now awaits a preliminary hearing scheduled for September 8.
According to ButlerRadio.com, the investigation began after the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office received a tip on August 18 from federal officials working an Arkansas case, indicating that someone in Butler County might possess child sexual abuse material. That tip set off a chain of digital forensic work that led investigators to Morgan.
Police examined phone and IP address records before acquiring a search warrant for Morgan's Snapchat account, the outlet reports. Investigators say they found nearly a dozen illegal files on the account, and Morgan reportedly admitted to police that the Snapchat account was his own.
Charges Include Dissemination and Communication Facility Counts
Morgan was charged with disseminating child sexual abuse material along with one count of criminal use of a communication facility, per the same account. Under Pennsylvania's 18 Pa.C.S. § 6312, dissemination of child sexual abuse material is graded as a third-degree felony for a first offense, according to Justia Law. The communication facility charge, under 18 Pa.C.S. § 7512, is also a third-degree felony and carries a maximum sentence of up to seven years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000 per count, according to a statute detailed by PAlegis.us, which notes that each distinct transmission or use of a communication device can be charged as an individual count.
Pennsylvania's statutory language itself has shifted in recent years. In October 2024, the state enacted Act 125, formally replacing all legal references to “child pornography” with “child sexual abuse material” in criminal statutes, according to the Pennsylvania General Assembly. If convicted, Morgan would also face mandatory sex offender registration requirements under the state's Megan's Law framework, per the Bickerton Law Blog, which notes that registration tier levels depend on the specific statutory section and grading of the offense.
What Happens at Monday's Preliminary Hearing
Morgan's case now moves toward a preliminary hearing scheduled for September 8.
The Butler County Court of Common Pleas is located at 124 West Diamond Street in Butler, according to ButlerPACourt.us.
A Case Rooted in Federal Tip Lines and Platform Reporting
The tip that set the investigation in motion traces back to a broader federal push to hold tech platforms accountable for detecting exploitation material. An August 2026 U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee inquiry found that major social media platforms, including Snapchat, increased actionable CyberTipline submissions to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to aid law enforcement investigations, according to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee. A separate June 2026 California State Senate analysis also addressed CSAM-related CyberTipline reporting.
The Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office is involved in the investigation.
Morgan's case follows other recent Butler County prosecutions tied to digital exploitation material. Last October, authorities in the county charged another local resident, Benjamin Staiger, with 42 felony counts related to child sexual abuse material, underscoring a regional law enforcement emphasis on these digital forensic investigations. Morgan's Monday hearing will determine whether his case proceeds along a similar path toward trial court.
