HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that a York man was charged in an Indictment by a grand jury yesterday with coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and distribution and receipt of child pornography.
According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, Gabriel Palmer, age 21, allegedly sexually assaulted a teenage boy and received and distributed child pornography to coerce the minor to engage in sexual activity between 2013 and 2015.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Silver Spring Township Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations and the Cumberland County Forensics Team. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daryl Bloom.
Indictments 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.
The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is 20 years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a $500,000 fine. Count I carries a mandatory term of imprisonment of ten years. Count II carries a mandatory term of imprisonment of five years. 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.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
