Robert Gleisner, 51, of Mount Pocono, and Constance Malago, of Tobyhanna, are both facing criminal charges after investigators discovered that the couple was using their neighbor's Internet service for nefarious purposes.

Last week, detectives from the Monroe County Office of the District Attorney and the Pocono Mountain Regional Police Department arrived at a home on Jennifer Lane in A Pocono Country Place to serve a search warrant for child pornography. Someone using that home's wireless network and Internet connection had been seen sharing child pornography on a peer-to-peer file sharing network in late February.When police arrived, they were able to determine that none of the residents were responsible for sharing the child pornography. Investigators also learned that the home's wireless network was not password protected. This meant that anyone within range of that wireless router would be able to connect to it and then access the Internet.Several days later, investigators learned that the neighbors across the street, Robert Gleisner and Constance Malago, were using their neighbor's unsecured Wi-Fi to access the Internet the same neighbor whose home police had searched earlier in the week.The Wi-Fi network's owner hadn't given permission to Gleisner or Malago to use her network or Internet account. In Pennsylvania, accessing a computer network, including an unsecured Wi-Fi network, without authorization from the network's owner is a crime.Police were able to gather evidence documenting both Gleisner and Malago use of their neighbor's Wi-Fi for the past six months, including the use of external antennas to obtain a stronger signal.The investigation, led by Detective Sergeant Kenneth Lenning of the Pocono Mountain Regional Police Department and Detective Brian Webbe from the District Attorney's Office, culminated when investigators arrested both Gleisner and Malago, and served several search warrants on their computers, cell phones, and other devices. Both were charged in connection with the unauthorized access to their neighbor's computer network.When searching Gleisner's cellphone, investigators discovered evidence that he had been using the stolen Wi-Fi and Internet service to download and share child pornography. Detectives were able to confirm that Gleisner was the person who first was observed using that Internet account to share child pornography, which began the investigation. When confronted, Gleisner admitted to having downloaded child pornography using the stolen signal.Gleisner now faces additional charges of possessing and disseminating child pornography.Police said that, currently, there is no evidence that Malago knew about or was involved in the child pornography, but that could change depending on the outcome of a forensic examination on all of the computers seized. This aspect of the investigation is ongoing.Detective Brian Webbe, the District Attorney Office's cybercrime investigator, stressed how important it is to make sure that your wireless network is secured."This is a prime example of why people need to secure their Wi-Fi networks. An unsecure Wi-Fi connection that is, one that doesn't require a password to connect is an open invitation for others to essentially steal a service that you're paying for. At best, it's just an inconvenience because it can slow your own connection to your router; at worst, you have a case like this where the thief is using your Internet connection to commit a serious crime. Unfortunately, as happened in this case, when someone is using your Internet connection to commit a crime, the police are going to come knocking on your door, thinking that you're the one responsible," Webbe said.Gleisner is currently incarcerated in the Monroe County Correctional Facility on $50,000 bail for the first set of charges. His arraignment on the child pornography charges is still pending. Malago was arraigned and released on $10,000 bail.