November 19, 2014

Monroeville Man Indicted on Charges of Distributing, Receiving, and Possessing Child Pornography

PITTSBURGH—A resident of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of distribution, receipt and possession of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.

The three-count indictment, returned on Nov. 18, named Andrew Patterson, 45, formerly of 1355 Foxboro Drive, Monroeville, Pa, as the sole defendant.

According to the indictment, from on or about June 15, 2014, to on or about June 16, 2014, Patterson distributed videos and images containing material depicting the sexual exploitation of minors. The indictment further alleges that on or about Sept. 8, 2014, Patterson received videos containing material depicting the sexual exploitation of minors. Lastly, the indictment alleges that on or about Oct. 16, 2014, Patterson knowingly possessed videos and images in computer graphic and digital files, the production of which involved the use of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, some of whom had not yet attained 12 years of age.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 50 years in prison, a fine of $750,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Lieber Smolar is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Indiana County District Attorney’s Office, the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office, and the Monroeville Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.