Former officer charged in child image case

Leon Paparo, a former Chester police officer, faces criminal charges for soliciting sexual images of children and misusing a law enforcement search tool to obtain their personal data.

The investigation opened on April 6, 2026, when a JNET Terminal Agency Coordinator audited the JNET system. This platform grants authorized professionals access to criminal records and warrants. The auditor found suspicious activity in Paparo's account during his tenure as an officer. He searched for people with no known connection to Chester incidents, including Delaware County District Attorney's Office employees, court staff, and his ex-girlfriends. Paparo left the mandatory field for search reasons blank on these entries.

JTAC officers reported the unauthorized usage to the Delaware County District Attorney's Office on July 10, 2026. They discovered Paparo served as the records custodian for the Chester Police Department. His duties involved filing cases and adding missing documents, such as driver's license photos, to case files. Investigators also uncovered a 2015 incident where Paparo approached a 15-year-old girl. He asked if she wanted pony rides for his daughter, exchanged phone numbers, and sent sexually explicit messages. He asked her to join a video-sharing service and later searched the girl and her mother in the system.

Detectives executed a search warrant at the Chester Police Department on Aug. 7, 2026. Paparo turned over his phone and passcode. He admitted to frequently searching for people and told detectives they would see dirty pictures on the device. Investigators found sexual images of women and naked images of children. Paparo allegedly used JNET to verify the birthdates and addresses of those children.

An arrest warrant issued on Oct. 26, 2026. Paparo surrendered to the Delaware County Criminal Investigation Division the following day. He was arraigned with bail set at 10% of $500,000. He remains in custody at the George W. Hill Correctional Facility. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Nov. 5, 2026. Online court records do not yet list an attorney for him.

Delaware County District Attorney Tanner Rouse stated the case represents an abuse of authority and a betrayal of public trust. Rouse noted that his office employees had their information accessed without legitimate purpose. He said the case hits close to home because those staff members serve Delaware County and should not worry about improper access by someone they trust. Rouse declared he will not tolerate the abuse of authority or the exploitation of children.