A former resident of Monessen, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison followed by 10 years of supervised release. This sentence comes after his conviction for producing material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, as announced by Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti.
United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand delivered the sentence to Stefan Sweeney, aged 36. The court was informed that Sweeney produced a video involving the sexual exploitation of a 13-year-old girl.
Judge Wiegand stated that the 20-year imprisonment term was determined by considering both the defendant's acceptance of responsibility and the serious nature of his crimes.
Assistant United States Attorney DeMarr Moulton represented the government in this case. Acting United States Attorney Rivetti acknowledged the efforts of several law enforcement agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Kennedy Township Police Department, and Pittsburgh Bureau of Police for their roles in investigating and prosecuting Sweeney successfully.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. The project aims to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse by coordinating federal, state, and local resources to apprehend offenders and rescue victims. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at www.justice.gov/psc.
