Source: Office of United States Attorneys
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Chase Lawrence, age 23, of Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, was indicted on February 5, 2025, for travelling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. The case was unsealed following Lawrence’s initial appearance.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, between on or about December 18, 2022 and October 6, 2023, Lawrence travelled from Lebanon County, Pennsylvania to the State of Ohio, with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a female who was under 16 years old.
The case was investigated by the Camden Ohio Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney K. Wesley (Wes) Mishoe is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
The maximum penalties under federal law for the indicted offense are 30 years imprisonment, a term of supervised release after imprisonment, a fine, and a special assessment. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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