Stephen Fleischer, 29, of Youngstown, was charged last week with sexual exploitation of a child, transferring obscenity to a minor and transportation of a minor, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
The Indictment charges that on or about April 1, 2014, through on or about May 30, 2014, in the Northern District of Ohio, Eastern Division, and elsewhere, Fleischer attempted to persuade, induce, entice and coerce a minor, that is, a 14-year-old girl to engage in sexually explicit conduct, for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct, knowing and having reason to know that such visual depiction would be transported, using any means or facility of interstate and foreign commerce, and in and affecting interstate and foreign commerce.
The indictment also charges that on or about April 1, 2014, through on or about May 30, 2014, in the Northern District of Ohio, Eastern Division, and elsewhere, Fleischer used a facility and means of interstate and foreign commerce, that is, a device connected to the Internet, to knowingly transfer obscene matter, that is, a visual depiction of his erect penis, to an individual who he knew had not attained the age of 16 years, that is, a fourteen 14-year-old girl.
The indictment also charges that on three separate occasions from on or about May 1, 2014, through on or about July 26, 2014, in the Northern District of Ohio, Eastern Division, and elsewhere, Fleischer knowingly transported an individual who had not attained the age of 18 years, that is a 14 year-old girl, in interstate commerce from the State of Pennsylvania to the State of Ohio, with the intent that such 14 year-old girl engage in sexual activity for which Fleischer could be charged with a criminal offense.
If convicted, the sentence in this case will be determined by the court after consideration of the Federal Sentencing Guidelines which depend upon a number of factors unique to each case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the unique characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael A. Sullivan. The case was investigated by the Youngstown office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Austintown Police Department.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
