A resident of both Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Chicago, Illinois, has pleaded guilty in federal court to charges related to the possession of child sexual abuse material. The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti.
Ashok Panigrahy, 53 years old, admitted guilt to one count before United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand. According to court information, Panigrahy knowingly possessed images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor from November 21 through November 22, 2022, in the Western District of Pennsylvania.
Judge Wiegand has scheduled sentencing for July 17, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. The legal provisions allow for a sentence not exceeding 20 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000 or both. The Federal Sentencing Guidelines will determine the actual sentence based on the offense's seriousness and any prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan is handling the prosecution for this case. Homeland Security Investigations in Pittsburgh and Chicago conducted the investigation that led to Panigrahy's prosecution.
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. It brings together resources from federal, state, and local levels to locate and prosecute individuals who exploit children while also identifying and rescuing victims.
For more details about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
