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Pennsylvania state Sen. Mike Folmer arrested on child porn charges

A Pennsylvania state senator was busted Tuesday on child porn charges, the state Attorney General announced.

Republican Sen. Mike Folmer, 63, was charged with sexual abuse of children, possession of child pornography, and criminal use of a communication facility after law enforcement found images of child pornography on Folmer’s cellphone when they executed a search warrant at his Lebanon home.

Officials said an investigation into the matter began after authorities received a tip that a user of the microblogging site Tumblr uploaded an image of child pornography to the site.

The investigation led officials to Folmer’s home.

“This defendant serves as a state Senator and was entrusted to honor and represent his community in the Pennsylvania Capitol,” said Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro said in a statement announcing the charges against Folmer.





“I will continue to say it — no one is above the law, no matter what position of power they hold. I will continue to work to protect children and hold those who abuse them accountable,” Shapiro said.

Folmer, who was elected to the Pennsylvania senate in 2006, was reelected to his fourth term last November.

The lawmaker played a key role in the passage of a bill that legalized medical marijuana in the state in 2016.

Folmer did not immediately return a request for comment Tuesday.

Meanwhile, state Senate leadership spoke out on the arrest, and said that Folmer would immediately be removed as Chair of the Senate State Government Committee.

Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati and Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman said in a joint statement: “We are shocked to learn tonight of the allegations made against Senator Folmer. We will fully cooperate with law enforcement regarding this deeply disturbing matter.”

“Given the severity of these charges, Senator Folmer is immediately being removed as Chair of the Senate State Government Committee. Further action in response to these charges will be taken by Senate Leadership in the coming days.”





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