Prosecutors from the Chester County District Attorney’s Office have announced the arrest of Malcolm Kenyon, a 25-year-old resident of West Chester, for allegedly engaging in unlawful contact with minors via social media. Kenyon faces multiple charges including Unlawful Contact with a Minor, Disseminating Explicit Sexual Material to Minors, and Sexual Abuse of Children following an extensive investigation into his online activities.
Kenyon was arraigned by Magisterial District Judge Martin Goch on October 8, 2024, where a substantial cash bail of $750,000 was set. This arrest adds to his previous charges from April 9, 2024, when he was charged with 100 counts of child pornography possession, for which he had been detained on $250,000 bail.
The investigation, spearheaded by the Chester County Detectives and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), was initiated after a Cyber Tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) in December 2023. The tip led to the discovery of child sexual abuse material on a Dropbox account traced back to Kenyon. Subsequent search warrants on his social media accounts revealed explicit communications with minors, where Kenyon allegedly solicited and received sexual images and videos.
District Attorney Christopher L. de Barrena-Sarobe commented on the severity of the charges, highlighting Kenyon’s use of platforms like Snapchat under the usernames “oop_0719” and “O ShiTM” to target children. “Our investigation suggests there might be more victims out there,” de Barrena-Sarobe stated, urging anyone with information to contact the Chester County Detectives.
The ongoing investigation has so far identified five juvenile victims, but authorities believe there could be more. Kenyon’s activities reportedly spanned over several years, involving detailed instructions to minors on performing sexual acts for his video and photographic content.
This case underscores the ongoing battle against online child exploitation, emphasizing the need for vigilance and community cooperation in identifying and stopping such criminal activities. Kenyon remains in custody, awaiting further legal proceedings, with his next court date yet to be announced.