Penn. Zoning Officer Caught in Internet Sting

Dietrich arraigned and remanded on felony charges

MINEOLA, NY - Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice announced today that Dale Dietrich, 58, was arrested and charged with twelve counts of Attempted Disseminating Indecent Material to Minors in the First Degree, a Class E Felony, and Attempted Criminal Sexual Acts in the Third Degree, a Class A Misdemeanor.  He was arraigned this afternoon in First District Court, Hempstead, where he was remanded by Judge Fairgrieve on the felony charges.

The charges stem from numerous sexually-explicit conversations over America Online’s Instant Messaging service and through e-mail Mr. Dietrich had with a Nassau County Police Detective from the Crimes Against Property Squad from November, 2004, to April 16, 2006.  The Nassau County Police Detective was acting in the capacity of a 15-year-old boy (originally a 14-year-old), named “Bobby”, while participating in on-line conversations with Mr. Dietrich, whose screen names included “panatureguy”, “tripleproductns”, “averagepozguyinpa”, “ddlet28311”, and “ddiet1040”.  These conversations included discussions of engaging in sex acts and also included Mr. Dietrich sending a naked picture of himself to the undercover detective in March of this year.

The defendant allegedly came to Nassau County to meet “Bobby” and take the 15-year-old back to Pennsylvania for five days.  Once in Pennsylvania, it is alleged that Mr. Dietrich hoped to engage the 15-year-old in sexual acts and consume alcoholic beverages.  At the time of his arrest, Nassau County Police Detectives found cold beer and Good and Plenty candy in the defendant’s car, which “Bobby” told the defendant is his favorite type of candy.

A person is guilty of Attempted Disseminating Indecent Material to Minors in the First Degree when knowing the character and content of the communication which, in whole or in part, depicts actual or simulated nudity or sexual conduct, and which is harmful to minors, he intentionally uses any computer communication system allowing the input, output, or examination or transfer, of computer data or computer programs from one computer to another, to initiate or engage in such communication with a person who is a minor; and by means of such communication he importunes, invites, or induces a minor to engage in sexual intercourse, oral sexual conduct or anal sexual performance, obscene sexual performance, or sexual conduct for his benefit (§235.22, Penal Law.

A person is guilty of Attempted Criminal Sexual Acts in the Third Degree when being twenty-one years old or more, he or she engages in oral sexual conduct or anal sexual conduct with a person less than seventeen years old (§130.40, Penal Law).

Mr. Dietrich is employed as a zoning officer for Windsor Township, Pennsylvania, where he lives with his mother.

ADA Stephen Treglia, Chief of the Technology Crimes Unit and ADA Brian Heid, of the Technology Crimes Unit, are handling the case for the District Attorney’s Office, under the supervision of Diane Peress, Chief of the Economic Crimes Bureau.  Mr. Dietrich was represented by Legal Aide and is due back in court April 21.

The charges are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

Name: Dale D. Dietrich
Age: 58
Address: 1040 Log Cabin lane, Lenhartsville, PA
Charges: Attempted Disseminating Indecent Material to Minors 1° (12 counts), Attempted Criminal Sexual Acts 3°