A part-time police officer in Pennsylvania was arrested Thursday after allegedly recording inappropriate videos and taking photos of minors at a YMCA facility, according to the Chester County District Attorney’s Office.
Mark Mackrell, 52, who served with the Millbourne Borough Police Department in Delaware County, faces multiple charges including unlawful contact with minors, stalking, and photographing sexual acts. The incident took place on July 22 at the YMCA on Airport Road in East Goshen Township.
Authorities said the next day, on July 23, a mother reported a “suspicious condition” at the YMCA, telling police her 14-year-old daughter and the girl’s 13-year-old friend believed they were being filmed at the pool.
According to a police affidavit, the mother confronted the man she suspected was recording the children. He denied any wrongdoing, refused to provide his name, and would not let her see his phone. When YMCA staff approached him, he again refused to identify himself, instead flashing a police badge.
Police later identified the man as Mackrell, a resident of Coatesville. After obtaining and searching his phone, authorities discovered photos and videos of children, some taken as early as July 2024. In several clips, Mackrell can allegedly be heard making inappropriate sexual remarks about the minors.
Mackrell was taken into custody Thursday and released on $100,000 bail. In addition to his role as a police officer, he also works as a youth monitor at Abraxas Academy, a secure residential treatment facility in Morgantown, PA.
Following the arrest, the Millbourne Borough Police Department placed Mackrell on suspension pending the outcome of the case.
In a public statement, the department emphasized its commitment to child safety: “The Millbourne Borough Police Department has zero tolerance for any conduct that endangers children and is committed to investigating such allegations thoroughly and acting decisively to protect the community.”
Source: CBS NEWS
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