Former Eagle Scout faces child pornography charges on Long Island
A former Eagle Scout who became a Boy Scout leader faces child pornography charges on Long Island, N.Y., officials said.
Edward Orenchuk III of Garden City, has been arrested and charged with multiple felonies for possessing images of child pornography and making those images available to others via the Internet, Nassau County Dist. Atty. Kathleen Rice announced.
Orenchuk was arrested and arraigned Wednesday, officials said. He is being held on $400,000 bond or $100,000 cash.
Orenchuk was charged with three counts of promoting a sexual performance by a child -- all felonies. He faces up to seven years in prison if convicted, according to prosecutors.
During a search of his home, authorities found hundreds of images of children as young as 5 years old on his computer, officials said.
“This defendant’s regular contact with children in a position of authority makes these charges that much more disturbing,” Rice said in a prepared statement. “My office is committed to aggressively investigating and prosecuting those who traffic in this horrific material.”
Orenchuk works as a page at the Garden City Public Library. The former Eagle Scout was also assistant scout master with Boy Scout Troop #243 in Garden City, officials said.
The Boy Scouts said Orenchuk was dropped from the organization once they learned of the charges.
“We were shocked to learn about the allegations against an individual affiliated with our troop,” the organization said in a statement. “The behavior included in these allegations runs counter to everything for which the Boy Scouts of America stands.”
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