An inmate at the State Correctional Institution (SCI) Mahanoy is facing a series of serious felony charges related to the sexual exploitation of a minor, following an investigation conducted by the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections’ Bureau of Investigations and Intelligence (BII).
Sandy Duran, 33, was charged on May 12th, 2025 with nine criminal counts stemming from multiple incidents involving a 17-year-old juvenile. The charges include:
- Two counts of Photographing/Filming/Depicting on Computer Sex Acts Involving a Child (Felony 2)
- Two counts of Sexual Exploitation of Children (Felony 2)
- One count of Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material (Felony 3)
- One count of Unlawful Contact with a Minor – Obscene Materials (Felony 3)
- One count of Criminal Use of a Communication Facility (Felony 3)
- One count of Corruption of Minors (Misdemeanor 1)
- One count of Producing/Directing an Obscene Performance Involving a Minor (Misdemeanor 1)
According to the affidavit of probable cause, the investigation began on February 20, 2025, when SCI Mahanoy’s Security Office alerted BII about suspicious telephone calls between Duran and a juvenile, made via the prison’s monitored phone system, Securus Technologies. Video visitation records from the Inmate Visitor and Visitation System (IVVS) were also reviewed and provided additional evidence.
Investigators determined that Duran, aware of the monitoring, still engaged in explicit conversations with the minor and requested she expose herself during a video call on February 5. According to court documents, the juvenile complied. The communications continued throughout the month, with Duran reportedly asking the minor to expose herself during multiple calls and inquiring about her 18th birthday.
Further investigation revealed the juvenile had planned an in-person visit to the facility on February 21 using a fake Texas ID. Staff at SCI Mahanoy discovered the ID was fraudulent and confirmed that the visitor was, in fact, a 17-year-old girl.
Duran, who remains incarcerated at SCI Mahanoy, was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Anthony J. Kilker on May 19, 2025. Bail was set at $50,000 straight cash.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled before Judge Kilker on June 19th, 2025.