Bristol man who sexually abused children must go to state prison

A Bristol Borough man who pleaded guilty to sexually abusing three children and making explicit recordings of the abuse was sentenced to 18 to 42 years in prison on Friday afternoon.

Brian Nathaniel Harris, 29, of Bristol Borough, pleaded guilty to 18 charges, including involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with an unconscious person and possession and distribution of child pornography.

The sentencing took place at the Bucks County Justice Center before Court of Common Pleas Judge Gary Gilman, who ordered Harris to serve three years' probation and undergo sex offender treatment in addition to his state prison sentence.

In a packed courtroom, relatives of the victims gave emotional statements about the impact of Harris' crimes.

“Sexual harassment is every parent's worst fear,” said one of the victims' mothers. “Usually it's a news story about an anonymous child in the community. But Mr. Harris made it a reality for my child and my community.”

A young person, a victim of Harris, told Judge Gilman how the abuse changed his life.

“For years he convinced me that he was a trusted friend and would always protect me,” he said. “For four years I kept what the defendant did to me a secret. Every day I was afraid it would happen again. Keeping it a secret took a huge toll on my mental health. Even now that it's no longer a secret, I'm still learning how to deal with all of my feelings.”

Assistant District Attorney Kristin McElroy praised the courage of the victims and their families in speaking during the sentencing.

The investigation into Harris began when Bucks County detectives received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children on October 31, 2023. The tip, which was based on a report from Snapchat, led to Harris' arrest at his Pond Street home, according to court records.

During the search of Harris' home, detectives seized two cell phones and found more than 500 images and videos of child sexual abuse, authorities said.

The evidence showed Harris abusing the children, with some of them unconscious during the attacks.

The files also suggested that Harris had shared the files on social media platforms under multiple aliases, authorities said.

Harris was identified in several videos by a distinctive black ring with the inscription “Yee Yee” that he was wearing when he was arrested, prosecutors said.

The case was led by Bucks County Detectives. The Falls Township and Bristol Borough Police Departments, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations, and the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office assisted in the case.

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