CLARION, Pa. (EYT) — A Clarion man is accused of sending an explicit photo of himself to a minor.

Online court documents indicate the Clarion Borough Police Department filed criminal charges against 21-year-old Brandon J. Hinderliter, of Clarion.

According to a criminal complaint, around 7:15 p.m. on August 10, Clarion Borough Police received a report of a male who sent nude photos to a 15-year-old female. Officer Kemmer, of the Clarion Borough Police Department, spoke to the 15-year-old victim and her mother.

The mother reported that “her daughter received a photo of Brandon Hinderliter’s penis on her cell phone,” the complaint states.

During the investigation, it was learned that Hinderliter and the victim “met several years ago,” according to the victim, and sometime in August of 2016, the victim ran into Hinderliter at a store in Clarion, the complaint indicates.

According to the complaint, around 1:32 a.m. on August 8, 2016, “(the victim) received a private Facebook message from Hinderliter on her cell phone, which stated, ‘What’s up.’ The victim stated that she responded to the message….The victim said that during the messaging back and forth, Hinderliter was telling her that she looked hot and asking her if he is good looking. The victim stated that one of the Facebook messages Hinderliter sent her a photo of his penis….The victim (indicated) that she told Hinderliter that she was in a relationship, and he, in return, asked her to send him a photo of her and asked her if she would (expletive) him.”

A log of the Facebook conversation was obtained from the victim, the complaint continues.

Around 3:00 p.m. on August 25, Officer William H. Peck, of the Clarion Borough Police Department, interviewed Brandon Hinderliter at his residence at Oakwood Trailer Court; the interview occurred on the front porch of the residence. During the interview, it was explained to Hinderliter about the complaint from the victim’s mother concerning the photo that he allegedly sent, the complaint states.

Hinderliter told Officer Peck that “he was sorry about that and explained that he deleted his Facebook account and Facebook messenger account. Hinderliter said it was a big mistake, and he is really embarrassed about it,” the complaint indicates.

Hinderliter said that “he was talking to a girl in North Carolina online and intended to send her the picture, and, by mistake, he sent the picture to 15 other people on his contact list,” according to the complaint.

When questioned again about the photo, Officer Peck asked Hinderliter, “‘So, you sent this girl a picture of your penis by mistake? He stated, ‘yes,'” the complaint states.

Officer Peck continued his interview asking, “Then, you were not communicating with her just prior to sending the picture if you sent it by mistake and was talking to a girl from North Carolina?”

Hinderliter said that “he wasn’t communicating with her,” the complaint indicates.

When Officer Peck “showed Hinderliter the printed out Facebook log, Hinderliter told him that he met her at (a store) and she told him she was 18. At that point, Detective Peck read Hinderliter the Miranda Warnings and suggested that he actually tell the truth,” according to the complaint.

At this point, “Hinderliter told Officer Peck that he was fighting with his girlfriend who is 43 years old, and he was thinking he would like to date a younger girl and ran into (the victim),” the complaint states.

“Hinderliter admitted that he knew the victim was 15 to 16 years old and not 18 years as he just stated. Hinderliter said he used his cellular phone to send the messages to the victim through Facebook messenger. Hinderliter gave Detective Peck his permission to view his iPhone. Detective Peck did not see any pictures related to this case or Facebook messenger on his phone. Hinderliter said that he deleted them after receiving a reply message from the victim’s mother. Hinderliter agreed that his statement of sending the picture to 15 other people by mistake was a lie as well,” according to the complaint.

Based on his investigation, Officer Peck filed a criminal complaint against Hinderliter in District Judge Duane L. Quinn’s office.

He was arraigned at 10:45 a.m. on September 1, on the following charges:

• Dissemination of Explicit Sexual Material Minor, Felony 3
• Unlawful Contact With Minor — Obscene and Other Sexual Materials and Performances, Felony 3
• Criminal Use of Communication Facility, Felony 3
• Criminal Solicitation — Statutory Sexual Assault: 4-8 Years Older, Felony 2
• Criminal Solicitation — Contact/Communication With Minor-Sexual Abuse, Felony 3

Unable to post $25,000.00 monetary bail, he was lodged in the Clarion County Jail.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 1:15 p.m. on September 13, in front of Judge Quinn.