Brian Welsh, 22, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is charged by Indictment, unsealed today, with one count of receipt of child pornography, one count of distribution of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger. The indictment alleges that on April 30th, Welsh was in possession of child pornography; that on May 23, 2012, Welsh received visual images of child pornography; and that on June 24, 2012, Welsh distributed child pornography. Welsh was arrested Decemeber 3, 2013 and is awaiting a detention hearing.
If convicted the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 50 years in prison.
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 and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Karen A. Fox.
An Indictment or Information 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
