A Bethel Park, Pennsylvania resident has been sentenced to nine years in federal prison for distributing child sexual abuse material and possessing contraband while awaiting trial. Seth Hollerich, 31, received a sentence of 108 months in prison followed by ten years of supervised release. The sentencing was handed down by United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV on February 19, 2026.
Court documents revealed that Hollerich distributed images depicting the sexual exploitation of minors, including infants and toddlers involved in explicit acts, on two separate occasions in March and September 2021. While detained before his trial in November 2024, he was also found with homemade shanks intended as weapons.
In court, Judge Stickman addressed Hollerich directly: “hard to fathom the level of depravity it takes to find pleasure in the victimization of little children” and explained to Hollerich that his crimes are not merely “virtual” crimes, but revictimized real human beings who had already endured being victims of sexual abuse.
Assistant United States Attorneys Heidi M. Grogan and Kelly M. Locher prosecuted the case for the government.
United States Attorney Troy Rivetti acknowledged the investigative work done by several agencies: “the Department of Homeland Security, the United States Marshals Service, and Butler County Prison for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Hollerich.”
The case falls under Project Safe Childhood—a national effort started by the Department of Justice in May 2006—to address child sexual exploitation through coordinated action between federal, state, and local authorities. More details about this initiative can be found at www.justice.gov/psc.
