Castle Shannon Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing and Possessing Child Pornography

PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Pittsburgh, PA, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of distribution and possession of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

Adam D. Cadle, 36, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to two counts before United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer.

In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Cadle had been using a group chat service, known as "Chatstep," to distribute and receive images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of minors, some of whom were under the age of 12 years. On November 1, 2017, Cadle’s residence was searched by members of the Pittsburgh Crimes Against Children Task Force, during which numerous images of child pornography were identified on his laptop computer and a SanDisk thumb drive. Forensic analysis undertaken after the search revealed that Cadle was chatting with minors and sharing sexually exploitive material. It was established that on November 17, 2015, Cadle distributed 10 images of child pornography during one such chat session.

Judge Fischer scheduled sentencing for October 25, 2018. The law provides for a total sentence of 30 years in prison, a fine of $500,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Cadle remains on bond pending sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office, and the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Cadle.