Greene County Child Pornographer Faces Life in Prison

PITTSBURGH - A former resident of Greene County, Pennsylvania, has pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of production, distribution, and possession of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.

Eric James Stull, age 49, of Clarksville, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty yesterday before United States District Judge Donetta W. Ambrose.

In connection with the guilty plea, from May 8, 2006 to December 26, 2015, Stull produced 41 video and image files of the sexual exploitation of a minor. Also, on July 21, 2015, Stull knowingly distributed a video containing material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor to an undercover Pennsylvania State Police Corporal. Further, on April 29, 2016, Stull possessed images in computer graphic 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.

United States District Judge Donetta W. Ambrose scheduled sentencing for January 8, 2018 at 11 a.m. The law provides for a maximum sentence of life imprisonment for the production of child pornography counts, a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment for distribution of child pornography, a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment for possession of child pornography, a maximum term of supervised release of life, and a fine of $10,250,000.00. 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 Pennsylvania State Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Greene County District Attorney’s Office conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Stull.

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.