A Pittsburgh resident has admitted guilt in a federal court to charges related to child exploitation, according to Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti. Michael J. Close Jr., aged 53 and residing in the Beechview neighborhood of Pittsburgh, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon.
The court was informed that from May 16, 2022, through July 6, 2022, Close engaged in transactions with an online Russian vendor for video and image collections depicting child sexual exploitation. The materials included depictions of prepubescent minors. Close used a cryptocurrency account to transfer bitcoin payments to the vendor via a cryptocurrency exchange platform. After payment, he received access credentials for encrypted videos and images.
Judge Bissoon has scheduled sentencing for May 28, 2025. The legal provisions stipulate a minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of up to 20 years imprisonment along with a possible fine of up to $250,000 or both. The final sentence will consider the offense's gravity and any prior criminal history of the defendant. Meanwhile, Close remains in custody under the United States Marshals Service.
Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations based in Pittsburgh and Portland, Maine.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse nationwide. The project involves collaboration between federal, state, and local resources to prosecute offenders and rescue victims.
For further details about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
