A campus minister at Villanova University is facing child pornography charges.
Timothy O’Connell, the campus minister for Latino outreach at Villanova University, was recently charged with child pornography offenses. O’Connell’s name was discovered during a federal investigation into Justyn Perez-Colon, who was arrested earlier this year for the production and distribution of child pornography.
Investigators ultimately found that O’Connell was allegedly in possession of sexually explicit photos of a female toddler and other young children. According to the authorities, O’Connell used sexually suggestive terms to describe the photos, including “very hot,” “very nice.” He also said that photos got “him hard.” According to the criminal complaint, O’Connell allegedly admitted to being sexually attracted to a third-grade girl that he was once babysat.
In July, the FBI obtained a search warrant for O’Connell’s home and for his office on Villanova’s campus. Investigators searched O’Connell’s home and office last week. O’Connell was charged with one count of child pornography and faced a maximum of ten years in prison.
In a statement, Villanova said that they were “horrified” by the allegations against O’Connell. “Villanova University is appalled and horrified by these allegations,” a Villanova spokesperson said. “The university has suspended this individual and he is not permitted to return to campus. Villanova is fully cooperating with the FBI in its investigation.”
Villanova emphasized that O’Connell is not a priest but rather a layperson that uses the title “minister.”
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