CHILD PORN ARREST ROUNDUP

Harford County Elementary School Music Teacher Dominic J. Lafrancesca was charged with Distribution of Child Porn.

BELAIR, MD – Harford County Sheriff Jeff Gahler reports that his detectives have arrested a 27-year-old male from Bel Air, identified as Dominic Joseph Lafrancesca (DOB 09/30/1996), and charged him with eleven criminal counts related to possession and distribution of child pornography.

Earlier this year, Detectives with the Harford County Child Advocacy Center received a tip regarding suspicious internet activity, specifically the downloading of multiple sexually explicit images of children that appeared to be between one and 13 years of age.

Detectives investigating the tip identified the suspect as Lafrancesca and developed additional probable cause, leading to the issuance of search and seizure warrants.

On Sunday, August 18, 2024, Harford County Sheriff Detectives served the court-ordered search warrants. Lafrancesca was taken into custody at his home without incident and transported to the Harford County Detention Center.

At the time of his arrest, Lafrancesca of 1405 Moonshadow Road, Bel Air, Md, was employed with the Harford County Public Schools as an elementary school music teacher assigned to George D. Lisby Elementary School.

According to a statement by the Harford County Public Schools, LAFRANCESCA has also worked at five other schools in Harford County, from elementary to high school.

Lafrancesca allegedly admitted to routinely downloading photos of children that, under Maryland law, are considered child pornography. In addition to downloading and possessing the photos, Lafrancesca also admitted to sharing the photos online with other adults.

 Before 2002, he was a substitute teacher from 2020 to 2022 at William S. James Elementary, Dublin Elementary, Magnolia Elementary, Bakersfield Elementary, and Fallston High Schools.

Sheriff Gahler stated in a press release that Information gathered during the investigation indicates Lafrancesca allegedly admitted to routinely downloading photos of children that, under Maryland law, are considered child pornography. In addition to downloading and possessing the photos, Lafrancesca also admitted to sharing the photos online with other adults.

More to come from this investigation

After a bail hearing on Monday, August 19, 2024, Lafrancesca was ordered to be held without bail at the Harford County Jail. Although an arrest has been made, this investigation continues to be very active, and detectives continue their work. Much of the investigation will continue with the assistance of the Sheriff’s Office Digital Forensics Unit. Members of the Unit are already working to analyze multiple electronic devices seized during the court-ordered searches.

The Harford County Sheriff’s Office urges anyone who believes they may have been a victim of these or related crimes, who may have information about victims, or who has relevant information about potentially inappropriate actions by Lafrancesca, to come forward and contact Detective Reynolds at the Harford County Child Advocacy Center at 443-409-3502. Your cooperation is crucial in ensuring the safety of our community and aiding the ongoing investigation.

DWI arrest for Lafrancesca at Christmas

Court records show that Timothy A. Cook of Bel Air, is the attorney for Lafrancesca in this child pornography case and also represented him in a plea deal for his arrest for DWI on December 22, 2023.

Harford County Sheriff Deputy Dixon arrested Lafrancesca at 3:01 am on Dec. 22, 2023, and his attorney filed for a jury trial in Harford Circuit Court. At trial on May 1, 2024, Lafrancesca entered a guilty plea in a deal with Harford County State’s Attorney Alison Healy with Circuit Court Judge Lenore R. Gelfman presiding—the agreement called for a verdict of Probation Before Judgment and eighteen months of supervised probation.  A new charge of violating the terms of his probation was triggered in a court filing setting a new court date before Harford Circuit Court Judge Diane E. Judge Adkins-Tobin on Oct. 10, 2024.