A 40-year-old Philadelphia man has pleaded guilty to a felony charge of possessing child pornography, with sentencing still pending in a criminal case that began in September 2024 after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received reports about files uploaded by a Kik user. Detectives later traced the user's internet address to Carr-Pierce and seized his cellphone during the investigation. Anthony Joseph Carr-Pierce, who lives in the 700 block of Shawmont Avenue, entered the plea in connection with a stash of images and videos that detectives say depicted children, some as young as 2 years old.
According to The Mercury, the case originated with reports to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that a Kik user had uploaded multiple digital files containing child sexual abuse material in September 2024. Montgomery County detectives traced the online user's internet address to Carr-Pierce and subsequently seized his cellphone. Analysis of the device, according to the criminal complaint, uncovered 114 images and four videos depicting child sexual abuse material — with court documents describing the videos as showing females as young as 2 years old engaged in sexual acts or poses.
Telegram Contact Cited in Complaint
The criminal complaint, filed by Montgomery County detectives Joshua Keenan and Michael Crescitelli, also alleged that Carr-Pierce contacted another party on September 29, 2024, using Telegram, searching for someone with whom to swap or share child sexual abuse material. According to the arrest affidavit, Carr-Pierce sought child pornography from another party through the app. The detectives alleged he requested to swap or share material but declined once told that payment for the multimedia would be required.
Earlier reporting from Main Line Media News described Carr-Pierce, then 38, as having been charged while incarcerated in Montgomery County prison, with bail set at $1,000,077 following his February 14, 2025 arraignment before Magisterial District Judge Maurice H. Saylor. That outlet reported the same figures found on his cellphone — 114 still photos and four videos. Separately, Perk Valley Now reported that Carr-Pierce faced 16 felony counts of possessing child sexual abuse material along with one felony count of criminal use of a communications facility, while the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that prosecutors said he had posted 60 images online through a messaging app in addition to the material stored on his phone.
Sentencing Deferred Pending Evaluations
Judge Todd D. Eisenberg deferred Carr-Pierce's sentencing following the guilty plea. Before a sentence is handed down, Carr-Pierce will undergo mental-health and psychosexual evaluations, and court officials will complete a background investigation report, per the same Mercury account. The article states that he faces a possible maximum prison sentence of three to six years.
The Pennsylvania Sexual Offenders Assessment Board will also determine whether Carr-Pierce meets the criteria to be classified as a sexually violent predator, a designation that carries more stringent parole or probation restrictions, including mandatory counseling and community notification about housing arrangements. Carr-Pierce must report his address to state police for 15 years under Pennsylvania's Sexual Offender Registration and Notification Act, a law formerly known as Megan's Law.
