Police: Predator Catchers PA sting leads to Lower Burrell man's arrest

A Lower Burrell man is facing child pornography charges after, police say, he was confronted by a civilian group dedicated to catching child predators.

David J. Holmes, 54, was charged Tuesday by Lower Burrell police with 26 felony counts of child pornography, and one count each of felony unlawful contact with a minor and corruption of minors.

Police were dispatched on Feb. 18 to a parking lot in the 2700 block of Leechburg Road to assist Shafiq Blake, who said he works for Predator Catchers PA, an organization that exposes child predators.

Blake was actively confronting Holmes, police wrote in a complaint, and, according to Blake, Holmes thought he was speaking with a 13-year-old girl during conversations online and was at the parking lot to meet her for sex.

Police reviewed Instagram messages between Holmes and someone posing as “Zoe,” a 13-year-old girl. According to police, the messages show “Zoe” made clear her age and that she is in the seventh grade. Holmes, police said, made statements about his age, and performing and receiving sexual acts and requested nude images from “Zoe.”

The following day, police obtained a search warrant and seized an iPhone and iPad that belong to Holmes.

When police questioned Holmes, the complaint states, he told them “Zoe” was from State College and messaged him, saying she liked “old guys.” Holmes at one point told police “he knew it was a set up” and it was a “dude,” the complaint says.

Holmes told police he assumed the “cops would be coming to get me tomorrow” after the confrontation, police said, but that he did not ask “Zoe” to have sex. He told police he was the only person with access to his iPhone and iPad.

But the complaint also states that Holmes admitted to police he knew “Zoe” was a 13-year-old girl and that he “did something stupid,” referring to going to meet “Zoe.”

Asked by police what officers would find on the iPad, Holmes stated “a lot of porn,” the complaint said. Police obtained warrants to search Holmes’ devices.

When police reviewed the search warrant, they found a conversation between Holmes and someone posing as a 13-year-old girl during which they exchanged explicit images. Police say they also found conversations in which Holmes was “soliciting her for the purpose of sex,” the complaint said.

Holmes was unable to post $250,000 bond and is currently being held at the Westmoreland County Prison. A preliminary arraignment is scheduled for April 9 before District Judge Cheryl Peck-Yakopec.