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From Mirror staff reports
A city man is behind bars after posting revenge porn of his minor ex-girlfriend to two social media accounts, leading police to search his home and find items consistent with drug dealing.
Hasan Elwood Gaines, 24, was arraigned Friday by Magisterial District Judge Benjamin F. Jones on 11 felony counts of sexual abuse of children, two felony counts of unlawful contact with a minor, a single felony count of corruption of minors, as well as a single misdemeanor count of unlawful dissemination of intimate images. In the drug case, Gaines was arraigned on two felony counts of possession with intent to deliver and single misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
In lieu of $150,000 bail in each case, Gaines was remanded to Blair County Prison.
The charges stem from Gaines beginning a relationship with a 16-year-old juvenile female during the summer of 2024. Throughout their relationship, Gaines filmed several sexual encounters with the victim and, in November 2024, Altoona police took Gaines into custody for assaulting the victim, according to the department's Facebook page.
On Jan. 3, officers received a tip that Gaines had posted the sexual encounters with the victim to fake Facebook and Instagram accounts. During a search for electronic evidence at Gaines' residence, officers found items consistent with a drug selling operation, according to the affidavit of probable cause.
After obtaining a second search warrant for narcotics, officers located about 12 ounces of marijuana worth about $6,900; a digital scale with marijuana residue; zip top bags; mushroom soil grow kits; syringes containing mushroom spores and about $2,089 in cash, the police report states.
Gaines is scheduled for two preliminary hearings in front of Magisterial District Judge Daniel C. DeAntonio on Feb. 5.