Milford, Pa.-Pike County District Attorney Ray Tonkin announced charges against a Dingmans Ferry in Pike County for numerous criminal charges regarding the sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of two minors.  In the first case, a detective from the District Attorney’s Office Criminal Investigation Division and the Pennsylvania State Police charged[1] Joseph Erkert, age 22 of Dingmans Ferry, PA., with manufacturing child sexual abuse material, possession of child sexual abuse material, unlawful contact with a minor, corruption of a minor, all felonies. 

According to the affidavit of probable cause filed in support of the charges, Pike County District Attorney Detectives and the Pennsylvania State Police were informed by a Special Agent from Homeland Security Investigations of an investigation that was forwarded to her from law enforcement in Ontario Canda regarding “child luring via computer”. The report details that police were dispatched to a residence in Ottawa and informed by a mother that her twelve-year-old daughter disclosed that she had been coerced into sharing naked photos of herself to Erkert.

Homeland Security Investigations received information that Erkert had traveled from the United States to Ottawa, Canda to visit the twelve-year-old where she was left with a burner cell phone that he bought for her for them to communicate on a device without parental controls. According to the affidavit, Erkert stated that he sent approximately 60 sexually explicit images to the Minor in which his genitals were exposed. Erkert related that he instructed the minor exactly what to send in many of the images.

During the investigation, investigators were provided with information that Erkert may have abused a minor living in Pennsylvania.  Investigators conducted a forensic interview at Dickson House Children’s Advocacy Center of the child where she disclosed sexual abuse by Erkert. Investigators interviewed Erkert and he advised that in January of 2026, he was spending time with a fourteen-year-old family member and began to touch the minor child all over her body and eventually touched her vagina and digitally penetrated her.

For this incident, Erkert is charged with aggravated indecent assault, corruption of a minor, unlawful contact with a minor, all felonies, and indecent assault, a misdemeanor.

District Attorney Tonkin praised the joint law enforcement effort in this case, stating “Here state, local and federal law enforcement worked on this international investigation of child sexual exploitation and abuse and saved two minors from further abuse. My office will continue the pursuit of child predators and continue to work with our other law enforcement partners to save children and protect our community

Magisterial District Judge Christina Balla set bail on Erkert in the amount of $1,000,000.00.  Erkert will remail in Pike County Correctional Facility in lieu of posting bail. A preliminary hearing will be held in Pike County Central Court within fourteen days.