Atty. General Kathleen G. Kane announced Sept. 25 the arrest of three Pennsylvania men, including one man from Lehigh County, on unrelated charges as part of an ongoing effort to target the online distribution of child pornography.

The arrests occurred in Blair, Elk and Lehigh counties.

The defendants are: Joseph Michael Christman, 30, of Altoona, Blair County, Thomas Bernard Mahaffey, 56, of Johnsonburg, Elk County and Joseph Michael Yoder, 27, of Macungie.

According to a press release from the Office of the Attorney General, Joseph Michael Yoder was arrested following an online investigation in which agents sought to identify persons using a file sharing network to obtain child pornography.

A computer was identified on a network sharing files containing suspected child pornography leading agents from the Office of Attorney General’s Child Predator Section to obtain a search warrant for a residence in Lehigh County.

During a search of the residence, agents were advised Yoder worked at the home over the summer and would often sleep in his car in the driveway there.

Authorities located Yoder in Allentown and a review of his cellular telephone revealed more than 100 images of suspected child pornography, according to law enforcement authorities.

Yoder is charged with one count of second degree distribution of child pornography, three counts of third degree distribution of child pornography, 30 counts of possession of child pornography and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

Yoder was placed in the Lehigh County Jail after failing to post $50,000 bail at the time. A preliminary hearing was tentatively scheduled Sept. 30, according to authorities.

Yoder is expected to be prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Rebecca Elo of the Office of Attorney General’s Child Predator Section.