Alan T. Panda

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Alan Daniel Berlin's sex offender registry photo

Alan T. Panda, also known as Furrypanda and Alan Panda Bear (real name Alan Daniel Berlin; born November 14, 1968),[1] is a fursuiter, babyfur and "daddyfur/caretaker with a cub side". He lives in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.[1]


Controversy[edit]

On May 28, 2009, Berlin was arrested on accusations he propositioned a fifteen-year-old boy over the internet.[2][3][4] After the boy's parents found sexually explicit messages on his computer,[4] they contacted the Attorney General's Child Predator Unit,[3] and forty-eight hours later Berlin was arrested.

According to investigators, Berlin communicated with the boy on seven different days between April 27 and May 25, 2009, in a series of instant messages and online chats.[3] It is also alleged that Berlin offered to arrange a meeting in a hotel room so he could take photographs of the boy and another adult having sex.[3]

Berlin was arraigned before District Judge George Zozos and taken to the Dauphin County Jail on $250,000 bail.[4]

Berlin was released on June 2, 2009, after posting $100,000 bail.[5] (Vinelink lists "Alan Daniel Berlin" as "Out of Custody" on June 2, 2009, having been "Bonded out".)[6] On July 27, 2009, Berlin waived his preliminary hearing in Dauphin County district court.[5] His trial was scheduled for September 13, 2010.[7] On October 27, it was reported that he had pled guilty to three felony counts just prior to the start of his trial, with sentencing scheduled for January 14, 2011.[8]

Retrial[edit]

Having been unable to reach a verdict in the first trial, Berlin's second trial began in March of 2012. Jurors took just over an hour to deliberate, before finding Berlin guilty of all charges. [9]

Furry angle[edit]

Investigators believe that Berlin and the boy met on a furry internet site.[3] When Berlin's home was searched, wolf and cat-like costumes were found.[4]

It is alleged that Berlin discussed dressing up in animal costumes and engaging in sex with the boy,[3] and that he proposed traveling to the boy's home and having sex in the backyard and in a shed on his parents' property.[3]

Some articles state that a panda costume was also involved,[10] but this appears to be a later embellishment, as the original sources only refer to the wolf and cat costumes.

Politics[edit]

Some of the messages originated from a computer in the Pennsylvania state senate[3] where Berlin had worked since 1993,[3] as an aide to republican senator Jane Orie.[4] Upon hearing of the allegations, Senator Orie suspended Berlin without pay, and he was later fired.[4]

Alan T. Panda on Pounced.org[edit]

Alan T. Panda placed a personal ad titled "Looking for a Babyfur for a Long-Term Committed Relationship" on Pounced.org which he last modified on April 2, 2009.[11] He describes himself as a gay "Daddyfur and Caretaker" who is "looking for a babyfur to be my mate and companion in a long-term committed relationship." He states that he "likes to wear diapers at times" and occasionally likes to be babied.[11] He states he is looking for a babyfur "who is between the ages of 20 and 25 (we can talk about edging that either direction)" and enjoys being babied although "doesn’t want to be a baby 24/7" and, among other points, "who is willing to relocate".[11] The ad has since been removed from Pounced due to the controversy surrounding Alan, though an archived version can be viewed on Google's cache.[11]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Alan T. Panda's profile on LiveJournal. Retrieved May 30, 2009.
  2. "Pa. Senate Aide Allegedly Wanted Sex With Teen" on the website of Pittsburgh's KDKA-TV television station. Dated May 29, 2009. Retrieved May 30, 2009
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 "Orie aide accused of soliciting teen for 'furry' sex" on the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Dated May 30, 2009. Retrieved May 30, 2009
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 "'Shocked, Appalled' McCandless Sen. Fires Staffer Accused Of Seeking Kid Sex" on thepittsburghchannel.com. Dated May 29, 2009. Retrieved May 30, 2009
  5. 5.0 5.1 "Ex-state worker accused of sex crimes waives hearing" - report on PennLive.com. Dated July 27, 2009. Retrieved July 12, 2010
  6. Alan Daniel Berlin's record on Vinelink. Retrieved July 12, 2010
  7. Court of Common Pleas of Dauphin County, Docket Number CP-22-CR-0003478-2009
  8. Former legislative aide pleads guilty to sex offenses - Dan Miller, PennLive.com (October 27, 2010)
  9. [1]
  10. "State Senate aide accused of child sex crimes" on the Philadelphia Inquirer. Dated May 30, 2009. Retrieved June 16, 2009
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 Google's cache of pounced.org ad from May 17, 2009. Retrieved May 30, 2009.

External links[edit]

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