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LEWISTOWN -- A Lewistown man is facing 601 felony charges after investigators with the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office allegedly discovered hundreds of files containing child sexual abuse material on electronic devices seized from his home.
Gregory Allen Helman was charged Wednesday with 600 counts of child sexual abuse material and one count of criminal use of a communication facility, according to court records. The child sexual abuse material charges include both second- and third-degree felonies, while the communication facility charge is a third-degree felony.
Helman was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Craig A. Weston and is being held in Mifflin County Correctional Facility after being unable to post $1 million bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. Oct. 7 before Weston.
According to the criminal complaint, the investigation began after agents received a report Jan. 13, 2025, regarding child sexual abuse material allegedly uploaded through Bing Image. Investigators subsequently reviewed internet records that they said traced the activity to Helman's Lewistown residence.
Agents executed a search warrant at Helman's home Wednesday morning. According to the complaint, Helman told investigators he had not viewed child sexual abuse material since the 1980s and said they would not find illegal images on his electronic devices.
Investigators reported finding no material on one of Helman's laptops, which they said contained a program that erased data nightly.
However, agents found a USB drive next to the laptop. When asked what was on the drive, Helman allegedly responded, "pictures of little kids," according to the complaint, but denied the drive belonged to him.
Investigators also recovered another USB drive from Helman's bedroom that he allegedly denied owning.
Agents seized three DVDs, two laptops and two USB drives during the search, according to charging documents. Investigators allege the devices contained at least 600 files of child sexual abuse material.
Charging documents also state Helman had previously been convicted in Northampton County in 1988 of attempted rape and involuntary deviate sexual intercourse.
Court records show the case remains active and awaiting a preliminary hearing.