Thomas Rafferty, 67 of Levittown, PA was charged today by Indictment with three counts of employing a minor to create an image of the minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct, five counts of creating obscene visual representations of children, and one count of possession of images of child pornography announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger.
If convicted the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 200 years imprisonment, with a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years, a mandatory minimum term of 5 years supervised release after release from prison, up to lifetime supervised release, a $2.25 million dollar fine, and a $900 special assessment.
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 was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael L. Levy.
An Indictment, Information or Criminal Complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, EASTERN DISTRICTof PENNSYLVANIA
Suite 1250, 615 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
PATTY HARTMAN, Media Contact, 215-861-8525
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
