PITTSBURGH—A resident of Mercer County, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of production, distribution and possession of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today. The six-count indictment, returned on Nov. 4, named Jason D. Lambert, 40, of Sharpsville, Pennsylvania, as the sole defendant. According to the indictment, Lambert, on or about May 11, 2015, employed, used, persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced a child victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a video of such conduct, and then, on or about June 1, 2015, used a second child victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct to produce still photographs of the conduct. The indictment further charges that Lambert, in the morning, the late afternoon, and the evening of June 2, 2015, distributed by computer still images depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct to an individual in Washington, D.C. Lastly, the indictment charges that on June 3, 2015, Lambert unlawfully possessed, in computer graphics files, videos and photographs depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 45 years in prison, a fine of $1,500,000.00, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police 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.