VENANGO CO., Pa. (EYT) — A convicted sex offender is facing 24 charges related to child pornography following an investigation by Franklin State Police.

According to court documents, on Monday, December 17, 2018, Franklin-based State Police filed the following criminal charges against 20-year-old Decoda Ray Hawk, of Rouseville:

– Child Pornography, Felony 3 (eight counts)
– Contact/Communicate W/Minor-Sexual Abuse, Felony 3 (eight counts)
– Criminal Use Of Communication Facility, Felony 3 (five counts)
– Corruption of Minors, Misdemeanor 1 (three counts)

Through an investigation by the Pennsylvania State Parole and Probation and State Police, it is alleged that Decoda Hawk possessed multiple nude images of a 16-year-old victim on his cell phone, as well as multiple lewd images that the victim sent to him from April 1, 2018, to June 28, 2018.

Hawk was arraigned at 11:00 a.m. on December 17 in Magisterial District Judge Matthew T. Kirtland’s office.

Unable to post $35,000.00 monetary bail, he was lodged in the Venango County Jail.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on January 2 with Judge Kirtland presiding.

According to a criminal complaint, a known man reported that his 16-year-old daughter returned to his Sandycreek Township residence with a “hickey” on her neck. The man reported that the victim had been visiting her mother in Clarion County in the days prior.

The man related that the victim had told him that Decoda Hawk gave her the mark on her neck. The man discovered that Hawk was 20 years old and was currently on state parole. He reported this to State Parole Agent Spence.

Agent Spence placed Hawk in the Venango County Jail for a violation of his parole for having contact with the victim.

While conducting a search incident to the arrest and per parole regulations, Agent Spence conducted a search of Hawk’s cell phone, and text messages between Hawk and the victim and nude photos of the victim were found.

Agent Spence turned the phone over to Franklin-based State Police.

Due to the information received that the victim and Hawk had both been at the residence in Clarion County, Trooper Hotchkiss of Clarion-based State Police Barracks initially investigated the Corruption of Minors incident.

Due to no charges being filed in relation to that incident, and Hawk being in possession of the cell phone with a nude photo of the victim in Venango County, Franklin State Police were assigned to further investigate the violation of Unlawful Contact with a Minor and Sexual Abuse of Children.

Through the investigation, it was learned that Hawk is listed on the Megan’s Law website as a Tier 1 Sex Offender which requires a 15-year registration.

He was convicted on September 11, 2017, for Corruption of Minors.

His registration began on December 13, 2017. It was last updated on December 12, 2018.

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