Lock Haven Man Indicted For Production Of Child Pornography And Enticing Minors To Engage In Prostitution

WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Michael Scott Grenninger, age 36, of Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, was indicted today on one count of possession of child pornography, two counts of production of child pornography, two counts of the attempted enticement of minors to engage in prostitution, and one count of transmitting obscene materials to a minor.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the indictment alleges that on various dates in 2017, Grenninger produced child pornography in Lock Haven with a female under the age of 12 and also used a computer to compile videos of himself and minor children appearing by web-cam over the internet.  Grenninger is also alleged on two occasions to have used chat-rooms on the internet to attempt to offer money to girls under the age of 12 in exchange for sex and in connection with one of these attempts sent obscene materials over the internet.

The case was investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Clinton County District Attorney’s Office.  Assistant United States Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur is prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of 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 marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit  www.usdoj.gov/psc For more information about internet safety education, please visit  www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."

Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

Grenninger faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a potential 30-year maximum sentence for the production of child pornography charge, up to 10 years in prison for the enticement counts, and up to 10 years’ imprisonment each for the transmission of obscene materials to a minor and possession of child pornography.  The maximum possible fine for these offenses is $1,500,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.