Kenneth Bee, a resident of Avonmore, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on May 4 to 420 months in prison followed by a lifetime term of supervised release after being convicted of producing and possessing material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti said.
United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines handed down the sentence. According to information presented in court, Bee produced images over several years that showed a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. In addition, authorities said that around September 2022, Bee possessed images involving prepubescent minors engaged in similar conduct.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon prosecuted the case for the government. Rivetti commended the Pennsylvania State Police, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Indiana County District Attorney’s Office for their work during the investigation that led to Bee's prosecution.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse. The project brings together federal, state, and local resources to identify offenders who exploit children as well as rescue victims. More information about Project Safe Childhood is available at www.justice.gov/psc.
