June 9, 2010 - Dennis C. Pfannenschmidt, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, announced that a 38-year-old Susquehanna County resident pleaded guilty today before Senior U.S. District Court Judge A. Richard Caputo to receiving and distributing child pornography during 2005 through November 25, 2009.
Pfannenschmidt stated that Thomas John Griffin, III, of Friendsville, Pennsylvania, admitted to downloading and trading images of child pornography via his computer.
Griffin was charged in an information filed by the United States Attorney’s Office in May 2010. Griffin’s charge resulted from an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Scranton Police.
Pfannenschmidt noted that as a result of the guilty plea, Griffin faces at least 15 years in prison and could be sentenced up to 40 years in prison. Judge Caputo scheduled sentencing for September 15, 2010.
Pfannenschmidt noted that 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.
Pfannenschmidt noted that the case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis P. Sempa.
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