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Flushing man still on the run

FLUSHING — A Flushing resident accused of pandering child pornography still is on the run nine days after a warrant for his arrest was issued through the Belmont County Sheriff’s Department.

Chief Deputy James Zusack said Wesley A. Burdge, 46, of Flushing still has not been found. He fled with his girlfriend and his two children, ages 5 and 1, Zusack said. Burdge was last known to be driving a silver 2002 Honda Odyssey.

“We’re still taking leads on that,” Zusack said Friday of the case.

Detectives originally had served a search warrant for John Garwon III after those from the Internet Crimes Against Children Division of the Belmont County Major Crimes Unit received evidence from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children indicating that Garwon had been sharing child pornography on the internet. Detectives said they did not find Garwon at the residence, but they spoke to Burdge. The men are roommates at 108 Markatan St. in Flushing.

Burdge allegedly told detectives Garwon had been working at a local restaurant. Detectives then left the residence after gathering various digital media devices; they learned about 10 minutes later that Garwon had left work.

They went back to the house and discovered that Burdge allegedly had left with his two children. Detectives did an initial forensic preview of the digital evidence and allegedly found that Burdge also had been in possession of child pornography that allegedly was supplied by Garwon.

Police say the two men also discussed how they wanted to abuse children, and that they were targeting children to rape.

While a warrant for the girlfriend’s arrest has not been issued, police still want to question her.

Detectives already found Garwon and arrested him. He allegedly disclosed that he and Burdge were sharing pornography together and have been targeting children to sexually abuse. Garwon was arrested on two counts of pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor and is lodged in the Belmont County Jail in lieu of $40,000 bond.

Police say there is no evidence that links Burdge’s 5- and 1-year-old children to the pornography.

“We took a massive amount of digital media devices such as laptops and a great deal of terrabyte external hard drives that had the capacity to be filled with so much information,” Ryan Allar, chief detective with the Belmont County Sheriff’s Department, said during a press conference held Oct. 12. “It is going to take us a monumental amount of time to go through and examine. So far, we have not discovered anything that we consider to be shot at that residence at this time. One of my detectives right now is just pouring through so much vile and disgusting matter.”

Those with information about Burdge’s whereabouts, his children’s whereabouts or the girlfriend should call the sheriff’s department at 740-695-7933.

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