Former ICTC director charged with possession of child pornography

A former director of the Indiana County Technology Center has been charged with 11 third-degree felonies related to child pornography. According to court records, Eric Daniel Palmer, 40, who still lists Indiana as his home address, was arraigned Friday before Indiana Magisterial District Judge Anthony Sottile III on 10 counts of child pornography and one of criminal use of a communications facility. Palmer was released on $50,000 unsecured bond, pending a preliminary hearing scheduled for Dec.

5 at 1:45 p.m. before Sottile.



State Trooper Marcus A. Lantzy, who has been listed as the arresting officer in a number of child porn-related cases in recent years, was the arresting officer in Palmer’s case. According to a state court docket filed with Sottile’s office, the 11 offenses alleged in Palmer’s case date to Sept.

5 of this year. Since 2018, Palmer had been executive director of the Greater Altoona Career and Technology Center. “The Greater Altoona Career & Technology Center (GACTC) became aware of allegations related to Executive Director Eric Palmer, on Nov.

8,” GACTC said on its website. “The GACTC takes the allegations seriously and took appropriate action in the interim. The GACTC will fully cooperate with any investigation.

Mrs. Nicole Zernick will be serving as interim executive director.” Zernick has been employed with GACTC for more than 10 years, including being assistant director since May 2022.

At the time Palmer left ICTC, in 2018, he was selected by Indiana University of Pennsylvania for a Young Alumni Achievement Award. Palmer is a 2006 small business management bachelor’s degree graduate and 2007 Master of Business Administration degree graduate from the Eberly College of Business and Information Technology at IUP. Prior to being named director of the ICTC, Palmer worked as adult education coordinator in charge of postsecondary programs at the White Township career and technology center.

While he was director there, ICTC received the 2017 Tri-County Workforce Investment Board Employer of the Year and the Pennsylvania Department of Education Career and Technical Education Excellence Award..