A retired Pennsylvania State Police veteran with extensive experience investigating computer crimes has been named commanding officer and lab manager of the David M. Petzold Digital Forensics Laboratory of Lehigh County on the campus of DeSales University in Center Valley.

Paul R. Iannace, 47, who recently retired from the State Police after 21 years, replaces Joseph Pochron, an Upper Saucon Township detective who was the first commander of the lab.

Pochron resigned Oct. 14 to take a job in private industry.

The laboratory, which opened in March 2011, is staffed by police officers from various municipal police departments in Lehigh County and was the first of its kind in Pennsylvania.

DeSales University do- nated the space for the laboratory, which is located on the lower level of Dooling Hall, and all labor and materials needed to install equipment and prepare the laboratory for use.

The lab has been funded by contributions from the Officer David M. Petzold Memorial Foundation, Lehigh County and nondrug forfeiture funds of the District Attorney.

Officers at the lab analyze computers and cell phones brought to the lab from police departments and enhance recordings from audio-visual equipment, such as video from surveillance cameras mounted in establishments and on streets.

"Joe Pochron laid the foundation for the lab, which was immediately inundated with requests for processing computers, cell phones, global positioning systems, video game systems, security camera video and other digital items. One case involved hundreds of pieces of evidence," Lehigh County District Attorney James B. Martin said.

"We are sorry to see Joe go and wish him every success," Martin said. "We welcome Paul Iannace and are fortunate to have someone of his caliber at the helm of the lab. I have the utmost confidence in his ability to continue the important work of the lab."

Martin said almost every serious crime today in- volves some type of digital device and evidence from those devices often is the key to unlocking a case.

Cases the lab has worked on include missing persons, harassment, sexting, child pornography, murder, suicide, counterfeiting, burglaries, identity and retail theft, auto theft and movie pirating.

Iannace, who started with the State Police in 1994, was Task Force Coordinator of the South East Computer Crime Task Force.

He was responsible for the daily operations of a digital forensic lab that supported 10 counties in southeastern Pennsylvania.

He supervised a 20-member task force unit that investigated high technology and digital incidents.

Iannace, of Emmaus, has investigated hundreds of crimes involving computers, hand-held devices and Internet technology, has analyzed thousands of various computer media when searching for digital evidence and often has been called to testify in court as an expert in digital forensics.

The crimes he investigated involved homicides, child pornography, child luring, cyberbullying, identity crimes including theft and fraud, hacking exploits and software piracy.

"I am looking forward to serving the law enforcement community in Lehigh County as lab manager," Iannace said. "I would like to increase public awareness of digital security and the need to protect personal data and would like to make investigations of child exploitation a priority in Lehigh County."

He has more than 1,000 hours of training in the field of computer forensics and has many digital forensic certifications.

He also is certified as a specialist in electronic evidence collection.

Iannace taught computer forensics and high tech investigation at DeSales University in the masters in criminal justice graduate program

He also teaches cell phone forensics for a private company and teaches Crime in Virtual Worlds for Drakontas, LLC and Drexel University.

He provides expert opinions to corporations, schools and law enforcement agencies and travels the country to give presentations at symposiums, conferences and training events for corporations, colleges and universities, and law enforcement agencies.

Iannace received the Col. John K. Schafer Memorial Award for excellence in law enforcement.

The award is named after a former Pennsylvania State Police commissioner who had a 23-year career with the state police.

Iannace received a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Norwich University in Vermont.

He served in the U.S. Army May 1989 to October 1993.

Iannace, who received numerous military awards, was a platoon leader in South Korea and an Assistant Operations Officer at Military Entrance Processing Command.