A resident of McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, Ryan Peters, has pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor for illegal sexual activity, as well as possession of child sexual abuse material. The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti.
Peters, 35, entered his plea before Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab. The court was informed that law enforcement executed a search warrant at Peters' residence on August 6, 2021. This action followed tips reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children concerning online activities involving child sexual abuse material. During the search, investigators seized several electronic devices, including a cell phone hidden in a cat litterbox and Peters' laptop. A forensic review uncovered five videos and 11 images depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
In subsequent weeks, Peters contacted an individual he believed to be a 12-year-old girl from Pittsburgh through a social networking and dating application. Unbeknownst to him, the "minor" was an undercover FBI agent. Their online exchanges involved discussions about sex and requests for sexually explicit images from the purported child. Peters attempted to arrange meetings with the supposed minor, leading to his arrest on September 13, 2021.
Judge Schwab has scheduled sentencing for November 12, 2025. The charges carry a potential sentence ranging from a minimum of ten years to life imprisonment and/or a fine up to $250,000. The final sentence will consider the severity of the offenses and any prior criminal history.
Pending sentencing, Peters remains detained by court order. Assistant United States Attorney Carl J. Spindler is handling the prosecution for the government.
The investigation leading to Peters' prosecution was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Allegheny County Police Department.
