Robert G. Landsbach Charged with Child Porn Possession

Stoystown, Pennsylvania, is reeling as 35-year-old Robert G. Landsbach was indicted on federal charges of possessing child pornography—a crime that cuts deep into the fabric of rural communities often seen as insulated from such darkness.

Landsbach, a resident of Stoystown, Pa., was named in a federal grand jury indictment unsealed today in Johnstown. The charge stems from an alleged incident on October 5, 2016, when he knowingly possessed digital files containing images and videos of prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, according to court documents.

The files were transported across state or international lines, triggering federal jurisdiction. Each file represents not just a violation of law, but a permanent record of child exploitation—graphic evidence of a predator’s digital footprint, now under federal scrutiny.

Landsbach now faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 if convicted. While the Federal Sentencing Guidelines will weigh the final sentence based on the offense’s severity and any prior record, the maximum penalty underscores the federal government’s hard line on child sexual abuse material.

The investigation was a joint force operation involving the Department of Homeland Security’s Child Exploitation unit, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, and the Pennsylvania State Police out of Somerset. The collaboration exemplifies the multi-agency dragnet increasingly used to track down offenders in the digital age.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John J. Valkovci, Jr., under the umbrella of Project Safe Childhood—a DOJ initiative launched in 2006 to combat the rising tide of child sexual exploitation. The indictment serves as a stark reminder: no digital hiding place is safe, and no defendant is beyond reach.