PITTSBURGH, PA - A former Beaver County resident pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of production and distribution of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Randolph Guy Gum, 25, formerly of Rochester, Pennsylvania pleaded guilty to three counts before Senior United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that on Jan. 19, 2014 and March 3, 2014, Gum employed, used, persuaded, induced, enticed, or coerced a minor-Minor A- to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct in the form of video and image files. At the time of the offense, Minor A was under the age of 18 years old. Gum produced the images and videos using material that had traveled in interstate commerce and knowingly distributed the images and videos containing the material depicting the sexual exploitation of Minor A to another individual via the Internet on July 23, 2015.
Judge Hornak scheduled sentencing for Aug. 29, 2019 at 3:30 p.m. The law provides for a maximum sentence life imprisonment for the production of child pornography counts, and a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment for distribution of child pornography, and a fine of up to $750,000.00. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the Judge continued Gum's detention.
Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Department of Homeland Security, Immigration & Customs Enforcement and the Rochester Pennsylvania Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Randolph Guy Gum.
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, 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
