June 16, 2014

McCandles Man Convicted of Receiving Child Pornography

PITTSBURGH—An Allegheny County man pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of receipt of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.

Mark Janosko, 48, of 1649 Pin Oak Drive, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak.

According to information presented to the court, on or about July 3, 2013, Janosko received images containing material depicting the sexual exploitation of minors.

Judge Hornak scheduled sentencing for October 9, 2014, at 9:30 a.m. The law provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum of 20 years’ imprisonment, a fine of $250,000.00, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense 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 Pennsylvania State Police, the Indiana County and Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office, and the McCandless Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Janosko.

This case was brought as part of the 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 marshal federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and to identify and rescue victims. For information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.