ERIE, Pa. - A former resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, pleaded
guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal laws relating to the
sexual exploitation of children, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady
announced today.
Kenneth Wayne Spencer, Jr. pleaded guilty to two counts
before United States District Judge David S. Cercone.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised
that Spencer received and possessed computer images and movies depicting
prepubescent minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
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 (CEOS), 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.justice.gov/psc.
Judge Cercone scheduled sentencing for March 23, 2020 at
12:45 p.m. The law provides for a total sentence of 60 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.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold is
prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania
State Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of
Spencer.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment