PATASKALA, Ohio– A criminal investigation into the mailing of a pornographic picture falsely depicting a female Pataskala police officer has widened to Pennsylvania.

Pataskala Police Chief Chris Forshey traveled on Tuesday to Johnstown, Pa., a city 227 miles away from Pataskala, where letters were mailed from containing a doctored pornographic photocopy purportedly of a female officer engaging in a sex act with a man.

Forshey said he went to Johnstown, Pa., to enlist the help of police and postal authorities there concerning a criminal investigation into the mailing.

“We’re still very optimistic. There’s still a lot of groundwork to be done,” Forshey said.

Pataskala police quickly issued an advisory last week asking recipients not to open the envelopes and to turn the mailings over to police.

The envelopes, which have the words “Adult Content” on the back, were mailed last week to Pataskala city officials, area law enforcement agencies and businesses.

Forshey was enraged and said the stunt was the product of a “deranged mind” and a calculated attempt to defame the police department and the officer depicted in the doctored image.

The officer is currently on vacation, Forshey said.

The sender of the mailings faces possible charges of pandering obscenity, but could also face a civil lawsuit for libel and defamation of character.

The mailings also feature a caption stating the doctored image can be found on the Internet and state that similar photocopy images will be sent to area businesses.

Police have collected approximately 40 of the envelopes thus far, Forshey said.

Forshey said detectives may know the motive behind the mailings but would not discuss that out of concern that disclosing the motive could hinder the investigation.

Back story, 7/10/2004: A doctored pornographic image depicting a female Pataskala police officer, mailed to area businesses, city officials and law enforcement agencies, has outraged local authorities and triggered a criminal investigation.

“This is the product of a deranged mind,” said Pataskala Police Chief Chris Forshey. “This is nothing more than a cruel act of a deranged mind to defame the department and the good officer involved. I’ve never dealt with this in my 26 years in law enforcement.”

The mailing, which bears a Johnstown, Pa., postmark, was recently sent to city officials, surrounding police departments and numerous businesses, ranging from restaurants to gas stations, Forshey said.

Forshey said he received a call on Thursday from Licking County Sheriff’s deputies telling him they, too, received a mailing.

The letter, which has no return address, bears the words “Adult Content” on the back and contains a photocopy on standard white 8 1/2-by-11 paper, Forshey said. The photocopy features a newspaper picture of the female officer on duty by her cruiser and beneath that another image of that officer’s face transposed upon the body of a naked woman engaged in a sex act with a man, he said.

Beneath the second image is a caption stating the depiction is on the Internet and advises readers that similar pictures will be sent to area businesses, he said.

Pataskala police quickly issued an advisory telling residents not to open the letters and instead turn them over to police. Residents who receive the letters are asked to place the envelopes in a plastic or paper bag. The letters are not considered dangerous, but should remain unopened and handled as little as possible to preserve evidentiary value, Forshey said.

Thus far, police have collected 40 unopened letters and are in the process of a criminal investigation.

Forshey said postal inspectors have been notified.

The image has angered police.

“The police department, me as a chief and the city administration back this officer 120 percent. We know there is no legitimacy to the photo whatsoever,” Forshey said.

The sender or creator could be charged with pandering obscenity, Forshey said.

Concerning civil charges, the creator could be sued for slander, libel or defamation of character, Forshey said.

Steve Butcher, owner of the Nutcracker Sweets restaurant, said he opened the letter and considers the mailing an attack on the department.

“This is as serious as it can get to ruin someone. This is an attack on the police department,” Butcher said.

Butcher said he is willing to write a letter of support to police.

“In a lot of ways, I had hoped I wouldn’t (have opened it),” he said. “It’s criminal, whoever did this. This is so seriously damaging that I can’t imagine how people could stoop this low.”

Pataskala Mayor Bruce Baird said he got one of the mailings and immediately turned it over to authorities.

“The second I received it, I turned it over to police,” he said.

Pataskala City Councilman Mike Fox said he, too, received a letter and turned it in to police without opening it.

“It came addressed to Councilman Mike Fox. I didn’t open it, but contacted the police and turned it over to them,” Fox said, adding: “I don’t have any firsthand knowledge of what’s in it.”