Legislative Staffer Solicits Boy for Animal-Costume Sex

(Harrisburg, Pennsylvania) According to Attorney General Tom Corbett, a 40-year-old staffer for a state lawmaker, Alan David Berlin, was arrested yesterday for allegedly making sexual propositions to a 15-year-old Harrisburg boy, including discussions of dressing in animal costumes and having sex.

Berlin was arraigned on charges of unlawful contact with a minor, criminal attempted sexual exploitation of children, and criminal solicitation to commit sexual abuse of children, all second-degree felonies.

Corbett said that Berlin, a legislative staff member with the Pennsylvania Senate, allegedly used the screen name "alan_panda_bear" to approach a 15-year old boy. During a series of chats in April and May, Berlin allegedly discussed various sex acts with the boy, including a proposal that Berlin travel to the boy's home in Harrisburg and have sex with him in the back yard, while the boy's parents slept.

According to the criminal complaint, Berlin also requested nude photos of the boy and suggested that he arrange a meeting between the boy and another adult, offering to get them a hotel room if Berlin could take pictures of them having sex.

Corbett said the boy's parents became concerned after discovering sexually graphic messages on their son's computer and contacted the Attorney General's Child Predator Unit, which began an investigation on May 26th.

No information has been reported regarding "another adult" participant mentioned by Mr. Berlin. However, it's evident that animal-costume sex has more than one follower. Offhand, I'd suggest that animal-costume sex pegs the kinkiness scale. And, no less than waffling homosexuality, it's beyond my ability to understand.

Berlin was booked into custody at the Dauphin County Jail with bail set at $250,000. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 5th.