PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Uniontown, Pennsylvania pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of possession of materials depicting the sexual exploitation of minors, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Jason A. Early, 41, pleaded guilty yesterday to one count before Senior United States District Judge Donetta W. Ambrose.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that in October 2017, Homeland Security Investigations was conducting an investigation into the Internet sharing of child pornography (CP). They obtained and executed a search warrant at the residence of Jason Early. A forensic review of his devices revealed 1,181 images and videos depicting CP, including images and videos of toddlers 2 or 3 years of age, as well as bondage. Early admitted to viewing CP through peer to peer programs and that there was CP stored on his MacBook and on two external hard drives.
Judge Ambrose scheduled sentencing for Aug. 22, 2019. The law provides for a maximum sentence of not more than 10 years in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the Court continued Early’s bond.
Assistant United States Attorney Shanicka L. Kennedy is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Department of Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation leading to the Information in this case.
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.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
