Ellwood City Man Facing Child Sex Charges

The New Castle City Police Department has filed criminal charges against three individuals after an investigation into the dissemination of photographs of children.

In September, the NCPD was contacted through CHILDLINE in reference to possible photographs being disseminated of two juvenile females (between ages of 11 &13).

Detectives learned through the investigation that the mother of the juveniles did take numerous nude pictures and send them to a male in Ellwood City identified as David BATES (60). The investigation showed that in some cases BATES did pay the mother of the juveniles for the pictures.

NCPD detectives did interview the mother and she did eventually admit to taking the pictures and sending them to BATES. (The NCPD has made the decision to not list the mothers or fathers name in this release in order to protect the identity of the juvenile’s victims in this case). Forensic Interviews were conducted on the juveniles.

On October 8, 2020, detectives requested the assistance of the Ellwood City Police Department and BATES was placed under arrest. Through the investigation, officers also learned that the father had knowledge that the children were being photographed. Both the father and mother were also placed under arrest on 10/8/2020.

The NCPD has charged David Bates with six counts of Conspiracy to commit sexual abuse of children/photographing or filming sexual acts, six counts of solicitation to commit sexual abuse of children/photographing or filming sexual acts and six counts of sexual abuse of children/child pornography.

The NCPD has charged the mother with six counts of sexual abuse of children/photographing or filming sexual acts, six counts of conspiracy to commit sexual abuse of children/photographing or filming sexual acts, six counts of Sexual abuse of children/dissemination of photographs, and two counts of endangering the welfare of children.

The NCPD has charged the father with two counts of endangering the welfare of children.

The children were placed into CYS custody.