McKees Rocks Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison After Pleading Guilty to Child Exploitation Offenses

Acting United States Attorney Robert S. Cessar announced today, April 23, 2010, that Samuel Snatchko, a resident of McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, pled guilty and was sentenced in federal court in Pittsburgh to 87 months (seven years and three months) in prison followed by 10 years’ supervised release for violating federal child exploitation laws.

United States District Judge Terrence F. McVerry imposed the sentence on Snatchko, age 28.

According to information presented to the court by Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller, from January 1, 2008, to May 5, 2009, Snatchko transported, received, and possessed visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. He also communicated with minors over the Internet concerning sexual topics and set up, or attempted to set up, meetings with them.

Mr. Cessar commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pittsburgh High Tech Crimes Task Force, the Allegheny County District Attorney's Office, and the Pennsylvania Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Snatchko.

This case was a product of Project Safe Childhood. Launched in February 2006, Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.