The arrest of a northcentral Pennsylvania man on Internet child pornography charges spurred dozens more arrests from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia, state police said.

Half of the 44 men arrested since the investigation began three months ago are from Western Pennsylvania or connected to cases on this side of the state.

Two agencies, the Internet Crimes Against Children task force and the State Police Computer Crime Task Force, began investigating after an agent detected Ronald Paul Bellows of Richmond, Tioga County, was online sharing child pornography with other men.

Armed with a search warrant at Mr. Bellows' residence, state police arrested him on 15 child pornography counts.

His arrest led to more arrests, including one each in Pittsburgh, Duquesne, Moon, Coraopolis, South Strabane, Coal Center, Indiana Borough, Johnstown, Nanty Glo, DuBois, North Huntingdon and Southampton, Franklin County.

Some of the seized computers contained thousands of images and movies with children engaged in prohibited sexual acts, police said.

The investigation is continuing. More charges are pending further police examination of the confiscated computers.

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