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Press Release

Cumberland County Man Indicted On Child Exploitation Charges

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Middle District of Pennsylvania

HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Jesse Owen Maurice, age 27, of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury for offenses involving the sexual exploitation of a minor.

 

According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Maurice is alleged to have coerced and enticed a minor to take sexually explicit photographs of herself and send them to him over the internet in November 2016. Maurice also is charged with distributing those sexually explicit photographs. The two-count indictment charges Maurice with production of child pornography and receipt and distribution of child pornography. The indictment also seeks forfeiture of all electronic equipment used to take those images.

 

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney James T. Clancy is prosecuting the case.

 

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.usdoj.gov/psc For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."

 

Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

 

A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

 

The maximum penalty under federal law for the production of child pornography offense is 30 years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a $250,000 fine. That charge carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years. The receipt and distribution of child pornography charge is punishable by a maximum of 20 years’ imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. That charge carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.

 

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Updated July 12, 2017

Topic
Project Safe Childhood