Former Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography Charge

The United States Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, announced today that a former Mount Carmel Borough police officer pleaded guilty today in federal court before Senior United States District Court Judge William W. Caldwell to possession of child pornography.

According to United States Attorney Peter J. Smith, Blaine R. Handerhan, age 56, of East Pennsboro, Pennsylvania, was indicted on October 13, 2010. The charges stemmed from an investigation by the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Pennsylvania State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Handerhan faces a maximum of 10 years’ imprisonment, a fine of $250,000 and a maximum term of supervised release of up to life. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.

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

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James T. Clancy.