Source: Office of United States Attorneys
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Connellsville, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of producing and distributing child sexual abuse material, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
The two-count Indictment named James Paul Schwarz, 37, as the sole defendant in this case.
According to the Indictment, from in and around October 2022 to in and around September 2023, Schwarz took videos and photos of a minor victim engaged in sexual conduct, then distributed those materials to others.
The law provides for a maximum sentence of not less than 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey R. Bengel is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Department of Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this 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 (CEOS), 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.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.