WEST LEECHBURG MAN FACES FELONY CHARGES

A West Leechburg man is facing felony charges related to child pornography after a search engine company filed a report with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.  The Trib reports that the Bing Images made the report that lead police to 76-year-old Thomas Batista, claiming he uploaded the same image of child sexual abuse twice into the search engine on Feb. 13, 2025, and uploaded a second such image 28 times on Feb. 14, 2025, with a third image going up two days later.  In February, Allegheny Township police searched his home and computer and found several photos and videos of child sexual abuse.  Basista is facing 25 felony counts of child sexual abuse material and one count of criminal use of communication facility.