Anthony John Valente charged with photographing and filming sexual abuse of children
Ephrata Police and state task forces seized electronic devices with alleged child sexual abuse material after a June report; Valente is being held on $150,000 bail.
The Ephrata Police Department’s Investigations Section charged 41-year-old Anthony John Valente of Gap on July 2, 2026, with four counts of sexual abuse of children by photographing and filming, eight counts of possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), criminal use of a communication facility, four counts of unlawful contact with a minor, and four counts of corruption of minors. The investigation began in June after a juvenile reported their father had taken nude photographs while the family lived in Reinholds; on June 18, 2026, officers executing a search warrant at a Skyline Drive residence in Gap seized multiple electronic devices containing numerous images and videos. Valente was arraigned by Magisterial District Justice William E. Benner Jr., held at Lancaster County Prison on $150,000 bail. All individuals are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.